Cinereous Harrier
Circus cinereus
Fairly common in open country of Patagonia, often near lakes and marshes; uncommon and local northward. Male silvery gray overall with fine rusty barring below. Female and immature are grayish brown above; underparts barred on female, streaked on immature. All plumage have white rump band. Usually seen in flight, hunting low over open country with wings held in a shallow V, tilting side to side like a Turkey Vulture. Perches on ground and fence posts, not in trees or up high.
Identification
The male's plumage is dark grey above with black wingtips and a white rump. The underparts are pale grey, with a rufous streaked belly. The female's plumage is brown above, with a white rump, and cream coloured underneath, with a streaked belly similar to the males. The female is larger than the male with an average size of 46 cm (18 in) compared to the male's 40 cm (16 in). The wingspan is 90–115 cm (35–45 in). Since the 44.5 cm (17.5 in) tail comprises about 56% of this raptor's total length, this species ties with the long-tailed hawk as the raptor with the longest tail relative to its body size.
Taxonomy
Genus: Circus; Family: Accipitridae; Order: Accipitriformes.
- Scientific name
- Circus cinereus
- Authority
- Vieillot, 1816
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Circus
Range and habitat
This bird can be found in different open habitats, ranging from lowland marshes to the Andean Altiplano at a maximum altitude of 4000 meters (13123 ft). Like other harriers it nests on the ground. It is usually considered to be sedentary, and may migrate during April and May and returning to breeding grounds between September and October.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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