Click on the Northern Harrier Hunting image to enlarge

Northern Harrier Hunting

Northern Harrier Hunting was taken at the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge. The Northern Harrier is a common bird of prey that can be seen in California.

The Northern Harrier breeds throughout Northern parts of the United States and Canada. The Marsh Hawk is the historical name for the Northern Harrier in the United States. In Eurasia the bird is known as the Hen Harrier. It migrates to southerly areas in the winter. These birds have a wide range, the numbers of the bird seem to be declining but it is not threatened at this point. Northern Harriers experienced declines due to pesticide use. The regulation of DDT has helped the harrier population recover, although habitat loss is still a significant threat. Many wetlands and open spaces where this bird relies on food sources have been in decline, and therefore have affected this bird.

This Northern Harrier is an immature or juvenile. They are a medium sized bird of prey. As can be seen in this photograph they have an owl-like facial disk that is visible at close range. There is a great difference in the male and female plumage of this species of bird, but this difference is difficult to see in the Juvenile Northern Harriers. Juveniles are brown above and orange colored below.

They prefer to hunt in open grasslands and marshes, they are known as open country birds. They hunt by flying slowly looking for rodents to prey upon. They fly low with their wings in a V shape. Northern Harriers take mostly small mammals and sometimes birds.

This photograph of a Northern Harrier was taken at the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge in Northern California. The main photography subject on this day was the Geese that winter at the refuge along the Pacific Flyway.

This Northern Harrier streaked across the wetlands of the refuge while I was photographing geese. And the Northern Harrier Hunting image was captured.