Pallid Harrier
Circus macrourus
Males are ghostly gray above with black wingtip wedges. Females are more difficult to separate from other harriers; pay attention to the underwings with their barred primaries and dark secondaries. Juveniles are rufous and similar to Montagu’s, but appear dark rather than pale faced. In flight, a bit bulkier than Montagu’s but much more buoyant than Hen Harrier. Found in steppes, wet grassland, agricultural areas and other open spaces. Sometimes forms flocks outside of the breeding season, occasionally mixing with other harrier species.
Identification
This is a typical harrier, with long wings held in a shallow V in its low flight. It also resembles other harriers in having distinct male and female plumages. Adults measure 40–48 cm (16–19 in) long with a wingspan of 95–120 cm (37–47 in). Males weigh 315 g (11.1 oz) while the slightly larger females weigh 445 g (15.7 oz). The male is whitish grey above and white below, with narrow black wingtips. It differs from the hen harrier in its smaller size, narrower wings, paler colour, and different wing tip pattern. The female is brown above with white upper tail coverts, hence females and the similar juveniles are often called "ringtails". Her underparts are buff streaked with brown. It is best distinguished from the female hen harrier on structure. It is very similar to the female Montagu's harrier, but has a paler belly and a well defined facial pattern.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Circus macrourus
- Authority
- (Gmelin, SG, 1770)
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Circus
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- PAL : e Europe to c Asia
- Non-breeding range
- AF, OR
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Pallid harriers primarily hunt small mammals and birds, surprising them as they drift low over fields and moors. Other food sources include large insects (typically grasshoppers and locusts), lizards and frogs.The nest of this species is on the ground. Three to six, but typically four to five whitish eggs are laid.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Brewer's Blackbird
Euphagus cyanocephalus
Breeding males are glossy black with purplish head and greenish sheen on body. Nonbreeding males have pale eyebrows and staring yellow eye. Females are plain dark brown and typically have dark eyes. Forages by walking on ground. Sometimes in mixed flocks with other blackbirds at feedlots. Also, walks along parking lots, golf courses, or roadsides. Females similar to Brown-headed Cowbird, but with longer, thinner bill and longer tail than cowbird.
Scallop-breasted Antpitta
Grallaricula loricata
Tiny, plump antpitta with long legs, short bill, and short tail. Chestnut head and brown back; white underparts markedly scalloped black. Throat white or buff with thin darker moustaches. Essentially a much smaller version of Chestnut-crowned Antpitta. Sexes similar. Difficult to see, mostly near the ground in forests with open understory. Locally uncommon in mossy cloud forest rich in palms. When perched, swings its body side-to-side. Easy to detect by voice, a simple, high pitched and descending whistle. Endemic to the Coastal Cordillera of Venezuela.
Red-breasted Pygmy-Parrot
Micropsitta bruijnii
A tiny parrot of montane forests. The male is brightly-colored with a green back, red belly and a peachy cheek and throat surrounded with bright blue. The female is mainly green with a blue crown and whitish face. Other pygmy-parrot species do not usually occur in this altitudinal range. Like other pygmy-parrots, it creeps along trunks but nests in stumps rather than arboreal termitaria. The male is unmistakeable and female similar to Yellow-capped and Buff-faced, but has a paler face and lacks the bright yellow vent. A high-pitch tinkling call.
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