Hen Harrier

Circus cyaneus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
GenusCircus (Harriers)
SpeciesCircus cyaneus (Hen Harrier)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Sierra Nevada National Park

1 Verified sightings at Sierra Nevada National Park From 2019 to 2026

12,264 Verified sightings across all 79 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 →

Closest Relatives at Sierra Nevada National Park

Circus aeruginosus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Circus pygargus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Hieraaetus pennatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Gyps fulvus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Buteo buteo

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Aquila chrysaetos

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Accipiter nisus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Circaetus gallicus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Elanus caeruleus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Pernis apivorus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Gypaetus barbatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Aquila fasciata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Wood Buffalo National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
2	Wrangell-St. Elias National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
3	Katmai National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
4	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
5	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~20%
6	Hortobágy National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~20%
7	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
8	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~10%
9	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	~10%
10	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
11	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	~10%
12	Denali National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
13	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
14	Biebrza National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	~10%
15	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
16	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
17	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
18	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
19	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
20	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
21	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	<5%
22	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	<5%
23	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
24	Namdapha National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
25	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
26	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	<5%
27	Isle Royale National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
28	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
29	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
30	Białowieża National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	<5%
31	Cévennes National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
32	Langtang National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	<5%
33	Cairngorms National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	<5%
34	Royal Manas National Park	🇧🇹 Bhutan	<5%
35	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
36	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
37	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
38	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
39	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
40	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
41	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
42	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
43	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
44	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
45	Bavarian Forest National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	<5%
46	Snowdonia National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	<5%
47	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
48	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
49	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
50	Tatra National Park	🇸🇰 Slovakia	Insufficient data
51	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
52	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
53	Mercantour National Park	🇫🇷 France	Insufficient data
54	Ecrins National Park	🇫🇷 France	Insufficient data
55	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
56	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
57	Nikko National Park	🇯🇵 Japan	Insufficient data
58	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	Insufficient data
59	Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
60	Khangchendzonga National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
61	Gauja National Park	🇱🇻 Latvia	Insufficient data
62	Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park	🇲🇳 Mongolia	Insufficient data
63	Triglav National Park	🇸🇮 Slovenia	Insufficient data
64	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
65	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
66	Aigüestortes National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	Insufficient data
67	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	Insufficient data
68	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
69	Vatnajokull National Park	🇮🇸 Iceland	Insufficient data
70	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
71	Picos de Europa National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	Insufficient data
72	Yosemite National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
73	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
74	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
75	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
76	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
77	Sierra Nevada National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	Insufficient data
78	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
79	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

← Back to Sierra Nevada National Park

Hen Harrier

About the Hen Harrier

Recent sightings of Hen Harrier in Sierra Nevada National Park

Closest Relatives at Sierra Nevada National Park

Western Marsh-Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Booted Eagle

Griffon Vulture

Common Buzzard

Golden Eagle

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Short-toed Eagle

Black-winged Kite

European Honey-buzzard

Bearded Vulture

Bonelli's Eagle

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found