The marsh harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. They are medium-sized raptors and the largest and broadest-winged harriers. Most of them are associated with marshland and dense reedbeds. They are found almost worldwide, excluding only the Americas. marsh harrier File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. ... Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ... Scientific classification redirects here. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... Families Accipitridae Pandionidae Falconidae Sagittariidae The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that include the diurnal birds of prey. ... Subfamilies Elaninae Perninae Milvinae Accipitrinae Buteoninae Aegypiinae Circinae Circaetinae The Accipitridae is one of the two main families within the order Falconiformes (the diurnal birds of prey). ... Genera Circus Geranospiza Polyboroides A Harrier is any of several species of diurnal birds of prey which fly low over meadows and marshes and hunt or harry small animals or birds (hence their common name). ... Binomial name Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Circus spilonotus Kaup, 1847 Circus approximans Peale, 1848 The Marsh Harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. ... Binomial name Daudin, 1800 The African Marsh Harrier (Circus ranivorus) is a bird of prey belonging to the harrier genus Circus. ... Binomial name Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Circus spilonotus Kaup, 1847 Circus approximans Peale, 1848 The Marsh Harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. ... Binomial name Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Circus spilonotus Kaup, 1847 Circus approximans Peale, 1848 The Marsh Harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. ... Binomial name Circus maillardi J. Verreaux, 1862 The Madagascar Marsh Harrier (Circus maillardi) is a bird of prey belonging to the marsh harrier group of harriers which inhabits the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar, Réunion and the Comoros. ... Orders Accipitriformes     Cathartidae     Pandionidae     Accipitridae     Sagittariidae Falconiformes     Falconidae A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts its food, especially one that preys on mammals or other birds. ... Genera Circus Geranospiza Polyboroides A Harrier is any of several species of diurnal birds of prey which fly low over meadows and marshes and hunt or harry small animals or birds (hence their common name). ... Orders Accipitriformes     Cathartidae     Pandionidae     Accipitridae     Sagittariidae Falconiformes     Falconidae A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts its food, especially one that preys on mammals or other birds. ... World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas in an equal-area projection The Americas are the lands of the New World, consisting of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ...

Until recently two species were generally recognized: the Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) and the African Marsh Harrier (C. ranivorus). The Marsh Harrier is now usually split into several species, sometimes as many as six. These are the Western Marsh Harrier (C. aeruginosus), Eastern Marsh Harrier (C. spilonotus), Papuan Harrier (C. spilonotus spilothorax or C. spilothorax), Swamp Harrier (C. approximans), Réunion Harrier (C. maillardi maillardi or C. maillardi) and Madagascar Marsh Harrier (C. maillardi macrosceles or C. macrosceles). Binomial name Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Circus spilonotus Kaup, 1847 Circus approximans Peale, 1848 The Marsh Harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. ... Binomial name Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Circus spilonotus Kaup, 1847 Circus approximans Peale, 1848 The Marsh Harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. ... Binomial name Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Circus spilonotus Kaup, 1847 Circus approximans Peale, 1848 The Marsh Harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. ... Binomial name Circus maillardi J. Verreaux, 1862 The Madagascar Marsh Harrier (Circus maillardi) is a bird of prey belonging to the marsh harrier group of harriers which inhabits the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar, Réunion and the Comoros. ...

Species

Western Marsh Harrier, female or juvenile.

The Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), often simply called the Marsh Harrier, breeds widely across Europe and Asia. It is migratory except in the mildest regions, and winters mainly in Africa. It hunts small mammals, insects and birds, surprising them as it drifts low over fields and reedbeds. Image File history File links C_aeruginosus. ... Image File history File links C_aeruginosus. ... Binomial name Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Circus spilonotus Kaup, 1847 Circus approximans Peale, 1848 The Marsh Harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria For the folk-rock band see The Mammals. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ...

The Western Marsh Harrier is a typical harrier, with long wings held in a shallow V in its low flight. It also resembles other harriers in having distinct male and female plumages, but its plumages are quite different from those of its relatives. The male has wings with grey and brown sections and black wingtips. Its head, tail and underparts are greyish, except for the chestnut belly. The female is mainly brown with a cream crown and cream leading edge to her wings.

The Eastern Marsh Harrier (C. spilonotus) breeds in the grasslands and wetlands of southern Siberia, northern Mongolia, north-east China, Manchuria and Japan, and migrates for the northern winter to South-east Asia, the Philippines and northern Borneo. Binomial name Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Circus spilonotus Kaup, 1847 Circus approximans Peale, 1848 The Marsh Harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. ... This article is about Siberia as a whole. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Flock of Barnacle Geese during autumn migration Bird migration refers to the regular seasonal journeys undertaken by many species of birds. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. ...

Like all marsh harriers, it favours open, wet environments, and is frequently seen drifting low over ricefields, interspersing long, watchful circling glides with two or three slow, powerful wingbeats. Two subspecies are recognised: C. s. spilonotus of east Asia, and C. s. spilothorax, of New Guinea and the islands nearby, which is sometimes thought to be a separate species and is often called the Papuan Harrier.

The Swamp Harrier (C. approximans) at about 50 to 58 cm is slightly larger than C. spilonotus, often a little darker, and has less heavily barred wings and tail. It is commonly found in suitable habitat anywhere in Australasia, particularly in the higher rainfall areas to the east, south-east, and south-west, of Australia and throughout New Zealand, but also in the tropical north of Australia and the island groups of New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and the Society Islands. It is also known as the Australasian Harrier or Pacific Marsh Harrier. Binomial name Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758) Circus spilonotus Kaup, 1847 Circus approximans Peale, 1848 The Marsh Harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. ... Australasia Australasia is a term variably used to describe a region of Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. ... Map of Society Islands One of the islands. ...

The Madagascar Marsh Harrier or Madagascar Harrier (C. maillardi) is found on the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar, Réunion and the Comoros. It is sometimes split into two species: Madagascar Harrier (Circus macrosceles) and Réunion Harrier (C. maillardi).

The African Marsh Harrier (C. ranivorus) is a distinct non-migratory species that has not usually been included as a subspecies of C. aeruginosus. It inhabits southern and eastern Africa. A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ...

References

• Roger Clarke (1995) The Marsh Harrier, Hamlyn, London.
• James Ferguson-Lees (2001) Raptors of the World, Christopher Helm.

External links

• Identification guide (PDF) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta