Northern Harrier

Circus cyaneus

Order

FALCONIFORMES

Family

Kites, Eagles and Hawks (Accipitridae)

Code 4

NOHA

Code 6

CIRCYA

ITIS

HEAD

Bill Shape: Hooked
Eye Color: Adult males, iris and edge of eyelid are lemon to orange yellow. In females, iris remains brown with yellow flecks in the first year; by end of second calendar year, 50% yellow; by end of third year, mostly yellow.
Head Pattern: Plain
Crown Color: Gray
Forehead Color: Gray
Nape Color: Gray
Throat Color: Gray
Cere color: Buff

BODY

Length Range: 41-61 cm (16-24 in)
Weight: 357 g (12.6 oz)
Size: 4. Large (16 - 32 in)
Color Primary: Gray
Underparts: White
Upperparts: Dark Gray
Back Pattern: Solid
Belly Pattern: Solid
Breast Pattern: Spotted or speckled

FLIGHT

Flight Pattern: Several deep wing beats alternate with long glides.
Wingspan Range: 97-122 cm (38-48 in)
Wing Shape: Broad-Wings, Long-Wings
Tail Shape: Squared Tail
Tail Pattern: Large gray or dark brown bands.
Upper Tail: Gray with darker bands.
Under Tail: White with dark bands.
Leg Color: Yellow

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden2.

Field Guide to Birds of North America