Spotted Harrier
Circus assimilis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
- FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- GenusCircus (Harriers)
- SpeciesCircus assimilis (Spotted Harrier)
About the Spotted Harrier
The spotted harrier (Circus assimilis) also known as the smoke hawk, is a large Australasian bird of prey belonging to the family Accipitridae. The spotted harrier belongs to the family Accipitridae. Accipitridae is the largest family in the order Accipitriformes and encompasses many of the diurnal birds of prey including hawks and eagles. It is one of the largest avian families with 233 species in 67 genera included in the family worldwide.
The spotted harrier is a medium-sized, slender bird of prey with adult females reaching 58–61 cm. Both adults and juvenile birds have an owl-like facial ruff that creates the appearance of a short, broad head as well as long yellow legs. The spotted harrier's wings feature prominent black tips and the tail is prominently barred and slightly wedge shaped.
Adult males are much smaller than the females only growing to 50–55 cm. Adult birds have blue to grey upper parts with a chestnut face and underparts that feature numerous white spots. Juvenile birds in their first year of life are mostly a dark brown and buff on their upperparts with pale buff underparts that feature brown streaks across the chest and stomach... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Cape Range
Swamp Harrier
Circus approximans
White-Bellied Sea-Eagle
Haliaeetus leucogaster
Brahminy Kite
Haliastur indus
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Aquila audax
Black-shouldered Kite
Elanus axillaris
Whistling Kite
Haliastur sphenurus
Little Eagle
Hieraaetus morphnoides
Black-breasted Kite
Hamirostra melanosternon
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
Eastern Osprey
Pandion cristatus
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Range | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Nitmiluk National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Tangkoko Nature Reserve | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 10 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 13 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Spotted Harrier in Cape Range?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Harrier sighting in Cape Range, based on 25 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Spotted Harrier in Cape Range?
June has the highest sighting rate for Spotted Harrier in Cape Range in our monthly data.