NORTHERN HARRIER

    

                            

1376                NORTHERN HARRIER                   Circus hudsonius

USA               27
 

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 USA. The northern harrier migrates south in winter, with breeding birds in Canada and northern Great Plains of the U.S. moving to the American south, Mexico, and Central America. In the midwestern, mountain west, and north Atlantic states of the U.S., they may be present all year. This bird inhabits prairies, open areas, and marshes.

SWAMP HARRIER

Photographed at Ambury, New Zealand, June 2017

(*    489)            SWAMP HARRIER           Circus approximans 

NEW ZEALAND               4

Also known as Australasian Harrier; regarded as abundant native in New Zealand. Found over farmland, tussock land, swamps and forest edges. Male 55 cm; female 60 cm. 

Photographed on North Island, June 2017

Photographed at Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, June 2017

SWAMP HARRIER

Photographed on Bruny Island, Tasmania, January 2015

489          SWAMP HARRIER               Circus approximans

Australia           (330)

Also known as Marsh Harrier and Small Swamp Hawk. 50-61 cm, wingspan 1.45 m. Range all across Australia, breeds in the southern states. Found in swamps and wetlands, tall grasslands, grain-crops, coasts, islands, heathlands, salt marsh, bracken, boredrains.

Juvenile or young immature, photographed Edithvale, Victoria, February 2017

Immature or sub-adult male, photographed Edithvale, Victoria, February 2017

SPOTTED HARRIER

Photographed in southern NSW

471       SPOTTED HARRIER             Circus assimilis

Australia             (313)

Also called Smoke Hawk. 50-61 cm; wingspan to 1.2 m. range all over mainland Australia. Found on grassy plains, crops and stubble fields, bluebush, saltbush, spinifex associations, scrublands, mallee, heathlands, open grassy woodlands.

Photographed at Werribee, February 2015