Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneus
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
- FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- GenusCircus (Harriers)
- SpeciesCircus cyaneus (Hen Harrier)
About the Hen Harrier
The hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) is a bird of prey. It breeds in open areas such as marshes and grasslands in Eurasia and is migratory, moving further south outside of the breeding season. Birds in milder regions, such as France and Great Britain, may be resident year-round, but the higher altitudes are largely deserted in winter. The species is sexually dimorphic; males are smaller and mostly grey and white with black wingtips, whereas females average larger and are predominantly brown and have buff underparts with brown barring. Both sexes have a white rump patch, although it is more noticeable on females and juveniles.
The term "hen harrier" refers to its former habit of preying on free-ranging fowl. The northern harrier (Circus hudsonius) was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the hen harrier. In 1758 the English naturalist George Edwards included an illustration and a description of the hen harrier in the first volume of his Gleanings of Natural History. He used the English name "The blue hawk". Edwards based his hand-coloured etching on a bird that had been shot near London. When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Hen Harrier in Hortobágy National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Hortobágy National Park
Western Marsh-Harrier
Circus aeruginosus
Montagu's Harrier
Circus pygargus
Pale Harrier
Circus macrourus
White-tailed Eagle
Haliaeetus albicilla
Common Buzzard
Buteo buteo
Imperial Eagle
Aquila heliaca
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
Short-toed Eagle
Circaetus gallicus
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
European Honey-buzzard
Pernis apivorus
Rough-legged Hawk
Buteo lagopus
Greater Spotted Eagle
Aquila clanga
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Hen Harrier in Hortobágy National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Hen Harrier sighting in Hortobágy National Park, based on 118 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Hen Harrier in Hortobágy National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Hen Harrier in Hortobágy National Park in our monthly data.