Photo: Dominic Sherony / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cinereous Harrier
Circus cinereus
Cinereous Harrier (Circus cinereus) — Birds of Prey of South America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Cinereous Harrier (Circus cinereus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in South America. Adults weigh 400 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Circus
- Species cinereus
Where it lives
Central Colombia to Tierra del Fuego, Paraguay and southeastern Brazil to Tierra del Fuego
Quick facts
- Weight
- 400 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cinereous Harrier preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Cinereous Harrier is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Cinereous Harrier (Circus cinereus) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA c Colombia to Tierra del Fuego, Paraguay and se Brazil to Tierra del Fuego.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 400 g, with a wing length of about 34.5 cm and a tail of around 24 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cinereous Harrier?
The Cinereous Harrier is a large bird that weighs around 400 g.
Where does the Cinereous Harrier live?
The Cinereous Harrier is found across South America with a range covering SA c Colombia to Tierra del Fuego, Paraguay and se Brazil to Tierra del Fuego, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Cinereous Harrier belong to?
The Cinereous Harrier (Circus cinereus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Cinereous Harrier eat?
The Cinereous Harrier preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Cinereous Harrier migrate?
The Cinereous Harrier is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Cinereous Harrier endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Cinereous Harrier make?
1 real field recording of the Cinereous Harrier — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cinereous Harrier's range?
The Cinereous Harrier has a mapped global range of about 2.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.