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GrasslandPlatform nestLarge · 393 g
ID tip
The northern harrier is 41–52 cm (16–20 in) long with a 97–122 cm (38–48 in) wingspan. It resembles other harriers in having distinct male and female plumages. The sexes also differ in weight, with males weighing 290 to 400 g (10 to 14 oz), with an average of 350 g (12 oz), and females weighing 390 to 750 g (14 to 26 oz), with an average of 530 g (19 oz). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 32.8 to 40.6 cm (12.9 to 16.0 in), the tail is 19.3 to 25.8 cm (7.6 to 10.2 in) and the tarsus is 7.1 to 8.9 cm (2.8 to 3.5 in).
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Northern Harrier
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 10 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is January, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Northern Harrier
The map shades 26 countries with regular records, and 15 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, France, Iceland, Colombia, Denmark, Martinique, St. Lucia, Russia, St. Martin, Argentina, Haiti, Japan, Norway, Venezuela, ZZ.
About the Northern Harrier
The northern harrier, also known as the marsh hawk or ring-tailed hawk, is a bird of prey. It breeds throughout the northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere in Canada and the northernmost United States.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Malagasy HarrierCircus macroscelesIt is about 42–55 cm (17–22 in) long; the female is up to 13% larger than the male.
Papuan HarrierCircus spilothoraxThe Papuan harrier is a bird of prey native to New Guinea which belongs to the harrier genus Circus.
Reunion HarrierCircus maillardiIt is about 42–55 cm long; the female is around 3–15% larger than the male.
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