From Opus

Female and juvenile
Photo by jankeesjankees.
Photo taken: Netherlands.

Circus pygargus

[edit] Identification

• Male: Grey upperparts, head (paler around eye), and upper breast, rest of undersides mainly whitish with reddish elongated spots; white upper-tail coverts, upper tail grey, under-tail with three faint bars. Primaries are black , and there is one black wingbar above and two on underwing.
• Female: mainly greyish brown, strongly streaked on underside, much white around eye
• Juvenile: dark wings and mantle, warm reddish brown undersides with strong facial markings (much white) but weak white collar around upper neck

[edit] Similar species

A lengthy thread which discusses separation from Hen Harrier.
See also Pallid Harrier

Adult male in flight
Photo by Momo.
Photo taken: Switzerland, April 2008.

[edit] Distribution

Breeding in Eurasia, wintering to India, Middle East and Africa.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species

[edit] Habitat

Marshes, reedbeds and cultivated land, especially cornfields, also moorland and heathland and rough grassland.

[edit] Behaviour

Usually fly with wings held in a high V; if gliding there is often a bend at the wing near the body, so that the inner part is more vertical. Mostly fly low when hunting, can be seen high above when migrating.

Food consists of small mostly vertebrate animals.

[edit] Bird Song

[edit] References

1. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019

• List of references

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages