Northern Harrier

Description:

Formerly known as the Marsh Hawk, the Northern Harrier is a slender, medium-sized raptor with a long, barred tail and distinctive white rump. Harriers are unusual in that there is a greater difference between male and female plumage than is typical of raptors. Females are brown above with varying degrees of brown and buff streaking below. Males are gray above with an unmarked lighter color below; they also have black wingtips. Juveniles are brown above and plain orange-brown below.

Habitat:

Spotted at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Northern Harriers are open-country birds, often seen soaring low over grassland. They also occur in farmlands, parks, and steppe habitat.

Notes:

As with most species that prey heavily on voles, Northern Harriers are somewhat nomadic, and densities change with the abundance of prey. Throughout much of their range, they are long-distance migrants, wintering as far south as Panama, but they are resident in other areas, including Washington.