Western Marsh Harrier
Circus aeruginosus
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Circus aeruginosus
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Mass
~700 g
Habitat
Wetlands and marshes
Diet
Small vertebrates
How to recognize it
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.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
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.
How to recognize it
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Circus aeruginosus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Western marsh harrier Encyclopedia article