Photo: Jude from New Zealand / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Swamp Harrier
Circus approximans
Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) — Birds of Prey of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 746 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 approximans
Where it lives
Australia (except south-central), North, South, Stewart and Chatham is. (east of South I.; New Zealand), Vanuatu, New Caledonia including Loyalty Is., to Fiji and Tonga (southwestern, south-central Polynesia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 746 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Swamp Harrier preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Swamp Harrier is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Australia (except sc), North, South, Stewart and Chatham is. (e of South I.; New Zealand), Vanuatu, New Caledonia including Loyalty Is., to Fiji and Tonga (sw, sc Polynesia).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 746 g, with a wing length of about 40.7 cm and a tail of around 23.3 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 2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Swamp Harrier?
The Swamp Harrier is a large bird that weighs around 746 g.
Where does the Swamp Harrier live?
The Swamp Harrier is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Australia (except sc), North, South, Stewart and Chatham is. (e of South I.; New Zealand), Vanuatu, New Caledonia including Loyalty Is., to Fiji and Tonga (sw, sc Polynesia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Swamp Harrier belong to?
The Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Swamp Harrier eat?
The Swamp Harrier preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Swamp Harrier migrate?
The Swamp Harrier is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Swamp 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 Swamp Harrier make?
1 real field recording of the Swamp 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 Swamp Harrier's range?
The Swamp Harrier has a mapped global range of about 2 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.