Photo: Paul Danese / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Northern Harrier
Circus hudsonius
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) — Birds of Prey of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 393 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 hudsonius
Quick facts
- Weight
- 393 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Northern 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 Northern Harrier is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA widespread.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 393 g, with a wing length of about 36.1 cm and a tail of around 21.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 12.3 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Northern Harrier?
The Northern Harrier is a large bird that weighs around 393 g.
Where does the Northern Harrier live?
The Northern Harrier is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Northern Harrier belong to?
The Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Northern Harrier eat?
The Northern Harrier preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Northern Harrier migrate?
The Northern Harrier is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Northern 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 Northern Harrier make?
1 real field recording of the Northern 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 Northern Harrier's range?
The Northern Harrier has a mapped global range of about 12.3 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.