Birds of Colombia

    ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae (Kites, Hawks, Eagles)  
Genus: Circus (3 species, 16 worldwide)

Harriers (genus Circus) are medium to large hawks with circular disc shaped faces used for enhanced hearing. Harriers glide beautifully over open areas looking and listening for prey. Wings form a 'V' when soaring.


Long-winged Harrier
Long-winged Harrier (Circus buffoni) Male
Uruguay
  Male may have white front or be almost entirely sooty grey (sooty or melanistic morph).
   
Photograph by Dario Niz   This image has been placed in the public domain.

Long-winged Harrier
Long-winged Harrier (Circus buffoni) Female
French Guiana
  A typical female.
   
Photograph by Michel GIRAUD-AUDINE   © All Rights Reserved.

Long-winged Harrier
Long-winged Harrier (Circus buffoni) Immature
Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
  Immature sooty morph.
   
Photograph by Cláudio D. Timm     Copyright and usage info

Always found outside of the forest (trees get in the way of long wings).

Cinereous Harrier
Cinereous Harrier (Circus cinereus) Male
Mendoza, Argentina
  Note white underwing, and grey chest, back, and back of wings of male.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Cinereous Harrier
Cinereous Harrier (Circus cinereus) Male
Mendoza, Argentina  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Cinereous Harrier
Cinereous Harrier (Circus cinereus) Female
Mendoza, Argentina  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Male is cinereous. Note rufous barring and white rump on both sexes. Found in marshes with tall reeds.
Male in flight from above.
In typical habitat.


Northern Harrier
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) Male
Green Cay Nature Center, Delray Beach, Florida, USA  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Northern Harrier
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) Female
Vancouver, Canada  
   
Photograph by Nigel from Vancouver     Copyright and usage info

The North American harrier.
A Broad-winged Hawk joins a [Northern Harrier] who has an [American Kestrel] pinned to the ground. A rare photo of three raptor species in one frame.
A female Northern Harrier with a pinned [American Kestrel].


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