The Northern Harrier
The Northern Harrier is one of the most widespread and easily recognized raptors in North America. It has an owl-like facial disc which allows it to hunt by sound as well as sight. It has been known to locate its prey by sound alone.
The Northern Harrier
Description
The female is considerably larger than the male. It is mostly reddish-brown with a brown-streaked buff colored chest and belly. It has a white rump patch as well. Unlike other hawks, the Northern Harrier has a facial disc much like an owl.
Northern Harrier
Harrier hunting over...
Northern Harriers
Low-flying harrier
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Northern Harrier
Northern Harrier
Northern Harrier
Northern Harrier
Did you know?
Unlike most hawks, harrier can use their sense of hearing to help locate prey. They have an owl-like facial disk that helps locate the direction of the sound, and their feathers are soft allowing for a quieter flight.
The Northern Harrier
Range and Habitat
The Northern Harrier is fairly common throughout North America. The birds living in the northern regions will migrate to the southern regions in the winter. They settle in a wide range of habitats such prairies, wetlands, marshes, and woodlands that have been clear-cut. Northern Harriers
9-5-08 108 Northern...
Harrier hunting over...
Northern Harriers
Marsh Hawk - Female
Low-flying harrier
Did you Know?
The Northern Harrier has also been called the blue hawk, frog hawk, hen harrier, and mash hawk.
Mating and Nesting
A Smooth Flight all the Way
Diet
Northern Harriers prey on a variety of different rodents, birds, reptiles and amphibians. The females tend to prey on more mammals while the male goes after the birds. They hunt using a low, slow flight over the ground and then swoop down onto their prey. Did you Know?
The Northern Harrier primarily feeds on mice and other small mammals, but will tackle larger prey. It will subdue larger prey such as a duck by drowning it.
Voice
The Northern Harrier's call is a piercing scream. Eeyah-eeyah-eeyah! In times of distress the call is more of a high pitched ke-ke-ke uttered in rapid succession. Harriers and other Birds of Prey
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Aquatic birds live on or near bodies of water. They acquire their food from the water, the shorelines, or animals within the same region. They include seabirds, such as gulls, pelicans, albatrosses, and ducks, swans and geese.
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Busy Lizzy's Birds of Prey
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Birds of Prey or Raptors are birds that usually hunt on the wing. They use their keen sense of sight to spot prey, swoop down, and capture it. They usually have large, powerful beaks and talons for tearing and piercing the flesh of their prey.
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OhMe
I had never heard of the Northern Harrier so this was most informative. Welcome to the SC Group. 5* Posted August 08, 2008 |
Resources
Peterson, T.P. & Peterson, V.M. 2002. Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, N.Y.
Carolina Raptor Center
Western North Carolina Nature Center
Northern Harrier, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Northern Harrier, Birds of Nova Scotia
Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area
