Hen harrier

Circus cyaneus
Hawks and eagles (Accipitridae)

♂

Made public by: Frederic Rage

Light grey feathers with black wing tips are the ♂, ♀ has brownish marking with an owl-like face. Both have a lighter belly, the wings and tail are striped and the upper surface of the rump is white.

Nests at ground level among plant cover. Mostly flying low, hovering and gliding, looking for small mammals and bird eggs. ♂ has multiple females in its territory. 

⇔ l. 45-55 cm

LA: 
≈ The CIRCUS AERUGINOSUS (Brown Harrier) is without white rump. 
≈ The CIRCUS PYGARGUS (Gray Harrier) shows slimmer wings with four fingers in flight. The ♂ has a dark line on the upper side of the wings without a dark trailing edge from below. 
≈ The CIRCUS HUDSONIUS (American Blue Harrier) looks similar but ♂ has brown dots at the underside and ♀ is darker in colour. See photo LA.

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