Northern Harrier Images, Facts and Information:
Circus hudsonius
- Northern Harriers are slim, medium-sized raptors with long wings, long tails and they have owl-like facial discs with small bills.
- They use hearing as well as sight to locate their prey.
- Northern Harriers are sexually dimorphic meaning the males and females look different. Adult males are mostly gray above and white below and the females are brown above and mostly buffy with brown streaks below. Females can be up to 50% larger than males.
- Some Northern Harriers are migratory, some are year round residents in their range.
- Northern Harriers can be found in the lower 48, Canada, Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.
- Northern Harriers eat mice, voles and other small rodents. They will also consume insects, small reptiles, small birds and carrion.
- Northern Harriers prefer open habitat near marshes, estuaries, wetlands, meadows, undisturbed grasslands, tundra and high desert shrubsteppe.
- Northern Harriers can lay between 3 to 9 eggs which take between 28 to 36 days to hatch. The female incubates.
- Northern Harrier males may have as many as five mates though most usually have two or three.
- They are also known as Marsh Hawks.
- Northern Harriers can live up to 16 years.
I hope you enjoy viewing my Northern Harrier photos.
Immature Northern Harrier female hovering over a Ring-necked Pheasant hen
Title: Immature Northern Harrier female hovering over a Ring-necked Pheasant hen
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 9/24/2018
Female immature Northern Harrier dive bombing a Ring-necked Pheasant hen
Title: Female immature Northern Harrier dive bombing a Ring-necked Pheasant hen
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 9/24/2018
Male Northern Harrier diving after falling prey
Title: Male Northern Harrier diving after falling prey
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/4/2018
Male Northern Harrier upside down diving after falling prey
Title: Male Northern Harrier upside down diving after falling prey
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/4/2018
Northern Harrier grasping prey in flight
Title: Northern Harrier grasping prey in flight
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/4/2018
Male Northern Harrier flying with prey in one talon
Title: Male Northern Harrier flying with prey in one talon
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/4/2018
Northern Harrier hovering over a grassy field
Title: Northern Harrier hovering over a grassy field
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 3/19/2018
Northern Harrier hovering while on the hunt
Title: Northern Harrier hovering while on the hunt
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 10/25/2017
Juvenile Northern Harrier female in flight
Title: Juvenile Northern Harrier female in flight
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 11/8/2016
Juvenile female Northern Harrier flying by
Title: Juvenile female Northern Harrier flying by
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 11/8/2016
Northern Harrier flying over a Barn Owl
Title: Northern Harrier flying over a Barn Owl
Location: Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah
Date: 10/21/2016
Male Northern Harrier in his first Spring
Title: Male Northern Harrier in his first Spring
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/30/2016
Northern Harrier at the end of May 2016
Title: Northern Harrier at the end of May 2016
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/30/2016
Rousing young Northern Harrier
Title: Rousing young Northern Harrier
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/26/2016
Goofy Northern Harrier
Title: Goofy Northern Harrier
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/26/2016
Northern Harrier preening in Box Elder County
Title: Northern Harrier preening in Box Elder County
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/26/2016
First Spring male Northern Harrier staring at me
Title: First Spring male Northern Harrier staring at me
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/26/2016
Close up of a first Spring male Northern Harrier
Title: Close up of a first Spring male Northern Harrier
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/26/2016
Portrait of a first Spring male Northern Harrier
Title: Portrait of a first Spring male Northern Harrier
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/26/2016
Preening first Spring male Northern Harrier
Title: Preening first Spring male Northern Harrier
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/12/2016
First Spring male Northern Harrier in golden morning light
Title: First Spring male Northern Harrier in golden morning light
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/3/2016
Northern Harrier defecating in flight
Title: Northern Harrier defecating in flight
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 5/3/2016
First spring Northern Harrier male perched
Title: First spring Northern Harrier male perched
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/6/2016
Young Northern Harrier on one leg
Title: Young Northern Harrier on one leg
Location: Box Elder County, Utah
Date: 4/6/2016