About the African Marsh Harrier
The African marsh harrier is a bird of prey belonging to the harrier genus Circus. It is largely resident in wetland habitats in southern, central and eastern Africa from South Africa north to South Sudan.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
African Marsh harrier females are larger than males and they are 44–47 centimetres (17–19 in) in length, with females being about 30% heavier than males (Simmons and Simmons 2000). Adults, (like the male bird right) have yellow eyes, but brown eyes when immature. Both sexes are mostly brown with pale streakings on the head, breast, forewing and rufous on the thighs and the belly. Adult males differ from females in that they have a pale grey wash to the dorsal secondaries and primaries. The female's are brown.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in November · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Cinereous HarrierCircus cinereusThe male's plumage is dark grey above with black wingtips and a white rump.
Long-winged HarrierCircus buffoniThe long-winged is mid-sized bird of prey, and like most birds of prey species, the females are larger than the males.
Eastern Marsh HarrierCircus spilonotusIt is 48 to 58 cm long with a wingspan of 113 to 137 cm; like most birds of prey, the female is usually larger than the male.
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