Australian Swamp Harrier

Description:

A large brown harrier hawk but plumage can be quite variable. Typically juveniles start off quite dark with a dark brown eye (shown) but adults get paler with age to the point where some old males are almost grey. Eye colour turns yellow in males and very pale yellow in females. Wings are long fingered and held in a shallow V when soaring.

Habitat:

Found throughout NZ apart from central urban areas and dense forest. This species has done very well with the clearing of forest into farmland. Population densities in NZ are quite high. It is also found in Australia, New Guinea, the South Pacific Islands and down into the Sub Antarctic Islands.

Notes:

Like a lot of raptors these birds can be hard to approach to close proximity on foot although when attracted to road kills they will often sit on their prize until the last second from approaching vehicles. This young bird did not want to give up its meal!