[George London]

In early May I was at Minsmere, Suffolk UK and saw a Marsh Harrier, talons outstretched, swoop on a Bittern - it was a long way away, pretty dark and raining () but pretty sure it made contact as the Bittern fled rather than dropping into the reeds.

Are these attacks common - as in driving away not preying upon? Which other species reap the Harrier's wrath?! My first thought was that perhaps the Bittern would take the Harrier chicks if it got the chance?

I've already got my excuses in above on the quality of the attached photo!

Thanks, George

[pe'rigin]

George,

I know that in Sweden the Bittern will predate Marsh Harrier chicks (up to a certain size) given the chance, which probably raises the question what effect these birds will have here in our limited Marsh lands as the Bittern population increases.

[Tarsiger]

And of course the effect of increasing Otter population on both!!
Russ

[Mayo Corncrake]

Was probably just mobbing the Bittern. I've seen a Hen Harrier mob a Bittern in Tacumshin lake in Wexford (Ireland). No more different than crows mobbing Buzzards.

[MJB]

Originally Posted by pe'rigin

George, I know that in Sweden the Bittern will predate Marsh Harrier chicks (up to a certain size) given the chance, which probably raises the question what effect these birds will have here in our limited Marsh lands as the Bittern population increases.

Marsh Harrier will also take a Bittern chick if the opportunity presents itself, for it often concentrates on reed-beds for its food. Its opportunistic behaviour is probably behind its successful colonisation of farmland in parts of Europe, the main driver being that prime habitat territories are fully occupied. In places, that process may have added to the pressure on Hen Harrier, as in eastern Austria, eg the latter, once in farmland round Neusiedlersee, probably now only at Oggauer Heide.
MJB

[pe'rigin]

The situation reminds me when as a lad collecting insects in a jam-jar, leaving them overnight, only to find in the morning just one left amongst dismembered legs and antennae.

Slowly, but surely, we are isolating nature into small pockets of resistance.

[Chosun Juan]

George:
I think you've hit the nail on the head ..... or the talon on the bittern!

Pe'rign:
Nice analogy - that's exactly what we are doing ....
anything we can do to help landscape connectivity, goes a long way to helping free all the critters from these unnatural man-made pressures.



Chosun

[Himalaya]

Marsh Harrier's will have been recorded taking Little Egret. Some one at Leighton Moss said that they wonder if the decrease/ceasing of Bitterns breeding might be because of the Marsh Harriers.

Both are predators and what goes on in the reedbeds we dont get a chance to see much of.

Great photo btw!

[Stephen Dunstan]

Originally Posted by Himalaya

Marsh Harrier's will have been recorded taking Little Egret. Some one at Leighton Moss said that they wonder if the decrease/ceasing of Bitterns breeding might be because of the Marsh Harriers.

Both are predators and what goes on in the reedbeds we dont get a chance to see much of.

Great photo btw!

The decline of Bitterns at Leighton Moss is thought to be due to factors including the declinign quality of the reedbed and the lack of satellite reedbeds for young birds to survive in. Initiatives have been undertaken to try and rectify both of these issues. I don't think Marsh Harriers are considered to be a factor.

Stephen

[theunseenowl99]

this doesn't have anything to do with Harriers so much, but I have seen the Northern Harrier harassing ducks in Alaska and it appeared that they had no intention of doing anything but harassing them, just like a group of ravens do everytime an Eagle is around.

one of the all time most brutal harassments I have ever seen was a pair of Gyrfalcons dive bombing a nesting pair of Bald Eagles near Glenallen. The eagles had a chick and they ended up abandoning the nest. I can only assume that the gyr's ate the eaglet.

There wasn't much the Eagles could do against a couple of acrobatic jet fighters.