Harrier

Harrier, common name for about 13 species of birds of prey, characterized by long legs, long, broad wings, and an owllike ruff of feathers surrounding the face. Several species have white rumps, which are conspicuous in flight. Unlike most members of their family, the sexes of harriers differ in color—slightly in a few but strikingly in most. All inhabit open country, primarily marshes and grasslands. They hunt by crisscrossing the area at a low elevation, then dropping on their prey. They feed on small mammals, frogs, snakes, and occasionally on birds.

Long known as marsh hawk in North America and as hen harrier in Britain, the northern harrier is the only North American species. It is 43 to 58 cm (17 to 23 in) long, the females being larger. Adult males are pale gray above, with black wing tips, and white dotted sparsely with reddish brown below. Adult females are brown above, and white heavily streaked with dark brown below. Young birds of both sexes resemble adult females, but are solidly cinnamon, not streaked, on the lower half of the underparts. The courtship display of this species includes spectacular aerial acrobatics.

The only other American species inhabit South America. They are the cinereous harrier, which closely resembles the northern harrier, except that males are barred with rufous on the underparts, and the long-winged harrier, in which males are much darker gray above but otherwise much like the northern harrier. Other species are found in tropical and temperate areas throughout Eurasia.

Scientific classification: Harriers make up the genus Circus of the family Accipitridae. The northern harrier is classified as Circus cyaneus, the cinereous harrier as Circus cinereus, and the long-winged harrier as Circus buffoni.

_____________

Visit all our informational websites: exZOOberance, Art of Leadership, Pictures from Turkey,
Get Free Photos, about Pedigree Dogs and about Pedigree Cats

Feedback