Hawks and eagles
Western Marsh Harrier
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Circus aeruginosus
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Voice
Call
Sonothèque ADVL
How to recognize it
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49–60 cm, large raptor with long broad wings
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Male: brown-grey-black pattern in flight, pale head and shoulders, black wingtips
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Female and young: mostly chocolate-brown, with paler head and shoulders
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Gliding low over reeds and open ground, wings in a shallow V, legs often dangling
About the species
The Western Marsh Harrier gives an impression of a long-winged, steady glider that moves low over open ground and reedbeds. In flight, the male looks calm and pale-grey above a warmer brown body, while the female reads as darker and more uniform.
It searches by drifting slowly over marshes and fields, often with wings held slightly raised, and it can announce itself with a loud, sharp cry. In the breeding season it guards space around the nest, which is built on the ground in dense reeds.
It is closely tied to wetlands, especially reed-fringed marshes, but it also uses nearby grassland and farmland. It takes small mammals, frogs, insects, reptiles, and small and medium-sized birds, and many populations move away for winter while some stay in milder regions.
Where to find
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Along reed-fringed pond edges and canal banks — watch for a low glide over the water with legs dangling as it searches for prey.
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Over wet meadows, marshy vacant lots, and grassy floodplains near water — it circles slowly, skimming just above the grass.
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At reedy lake shores and overgrown river margins — the male often gives itself away with a sharp, repeated call from a low patrol flight.
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Across field edges beside marshland — look for a broad-winged raptor flying close to the ground, almost brushing the vegetation.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Circus aeruginosus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Western marsh harrier Encyclopedia article