adult male; gray body, white rump patch (California, USA; 2007-01-07)


Northern Harrier
Circus cyaneus

Native Range: North America, Eurasia

Notes: an owl-like hawk that courses low over fields and marshes while hunting for mice; long tail; wingbeats smooth, rowing; white rump patch a good field mark in flight; strong sexual dimorphism.


adult male; yellow legs (California, USA; 2007-01-07)

adult male; long narrow wings (Florida, USA; 2007-12-31)

adult female; brown body (California, USA; 2007-11-17)

long legs, buffy-brow streaked breast (California, USA; 2008-01-27)

female; brown body, white rump patch (California, USA; 2006-11-18)

female; monkey-like facial disk (California, USA; 2007-11-28)

female; brown; white rump patch, (California, USA; 2007-11-17)

juvenile; chocolate-brown on head and breast (Michigan, USA; 2007-08-15)
adult male in flight (California, USA; 2011-08-15) female in flight (California, USA; 2012-03-23)
female in flight (California, USA; 2012-03-23)