Hawks and eagles
Western Marsh Harrier
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Circus aeruginosus
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Voice
Call
How to recognize it
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48–56 cm long, large, with broad wings
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Male: reddish-brown body, pale greyish-yellow head and shoulders; female: chocolate-brown, with yellowish head and shoulders
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Low flight over open ground, wings held in a shallow V, legs often dangling
About the species
Above the reeds, a male Western Marsh Harrier shows a rusty-brown body beneath a pale yellowish head and shoulders. In flight, grey wings and tail contrast with dark wingtips, giving the upper side a clear brown, grey, and black pattern. The female is mostly chocolate-brown, with a lighter crown, throat, and shoulders; juveniles resemble her but usually show less yellow.
It searches by gliding low over open ground, wings held in a shallow V and legs often hanging below. Its call is a loud, repeated "kee-yoo." During breeding, a male may pair with two females, occasionally three, and it defends a territory.
Reed-filled wetlands are its main habitat, though it also hunts over farmland and grassland beside marshes. It takes small mammals, insects, reptiles, and frogs. Most populations migrate or disperse, with some wintering in milder parts of Europe and others travelling to Africa or farther south in Asia.
Where to find
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During the breeding season, Western Marsh Harriers nest on the ground among reeds in reed-filled wetlands by water.
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Over open wetland, watch for a low, gliding search for prey.
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In grassland bordering marshes, look for low passes over flat, open ground as they search for prey.
