Western Marsh Harrier: how to recognise it
A bird seen on most continents. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Radovan Václav · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Circus aeruginosus
- Family
- Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- Size
- About 52 cm
- Habitat
- Reedbeds, marshes and nearby farmland
- Found in
- Europe, Africa, Asia and North America
The key marks
Flies low over reeds with wings held in a shallow V; the male has grey wings with black tips and a brown body, the female is dark brown with a creamy head. Hen Harrier male is pale grey; the female has a white rump.
Voice
Mostly silent; a high 'kee-a' in display.
Good to know
In the courtship display, the male drops food in the air and the female catches it upside down below him.
Do not confuse with
Compare it with the Hen Harrier. Look at the marks above one by one rather than the overall colour, and practise telling the two apart with real photos.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in reedbeds, marshes and nearby farmland. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.