Hawks and eagles
Pallid Harrier
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Circus macrourus
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How to recognize it
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Male: very pale grey-white, with black wingtips
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Female/juvenile: brown upperparts, pale rump, mottled head
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Low flight over fields, long narrow wings in a shallow V
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Short trilling call, like a quick rattle
About the species
Pallid Harrier looks light and airy, with long wings and a low, gliding flight that seems to skim just above the ground. The whole impression is of a sleek hunter moving with quiet ease.
It is usually silent, but in display the male gives a short, quivering trill. When alarmed, both sexes answer with a brief, sharp chatter.
It favours open plains, bogs and heathland, where it can drift low in search of prey. Small mammals and other small animals are its main food, and it spends the winter mostly in India and southeast Asia.
Where to find
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Over wide open lawns, vacant lots, and rough grass — the pallid harrier drifts low over the ground while hunting mice and big insects.
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Along reed-fringed pond edges, marshy corners, and wet meadow strips — look for a slow, buoyant glide just above the vegetation.
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On the outskirts, above field edges and open wasteland — the male gives a short, vibrating trilling call during display flight.
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In spring and early summer, scan open country beyond the city — the nest is on the ground, so the silhouette often slips past at eye level.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Circus macrourus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Pallid harrier Encyclopedia article