About the Pallid Harrier
The pallid harrier is a species of harrier, a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It breeds in southern parts of eastern Europe and central Asia and Iran and winters mainly in India and southeast Asia. It is a rare but increasing vagrant to Great Britain and western Europe. In 2017 a pair of pallid harriers nested in a barley field in the Netherlands; they raised four chicks, the first recording breeding of the species in the country. In 2019, a pair bred in Spain for the first time.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
This is a typical harrier, with long wings held in a shallow V in its low flight. It also resembles other harriers in having distinct male and female plumages. Adults measure 40–48 cm (16–19 in) long with a wingspan of 95–120 cm (37–47 in). Males weigh 315 g (11.1 oz) while the slightly larger females weigh 445 g (15.7 oz). The male is whitish grey above and white below, with narrow black wingtips. It differs from the hen harrier in its smaller size, narrower wings, paler colour, and different wing tip pattern.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Morocco, Iceland, Togo, North Macedonia, Angola, Somalia, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Luxembourg.
When to see it
Peak activity in September · a passage migrant species across most of its range
Easily confused with
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.
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.
Cinereous HarrierCircus cinereusThe male's plumage is dark grey above with black wingtips and a white rump.
Learn the Pallid Harrier for real
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