| Harriers | |
|---|---|
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| Montagu's Harrier | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Falconiformes (but see there) |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Subfamily: | Circinae |
| Genera | |
|
Circus |
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A harrier is any of the several species of diurnal hawks forming the Circinae sub-family of the Accipitridae family of birds of prey. Harriers characteristically hunt by flying low over open ground, feeding on small mammals, reptiles, or birds.
Most harriers are placed in the genus Circus, the scientific name arising from the circling movements female and male make when courting. Two other harriers are in the genus Polyboroides, the harrier-hawks, which are allopatric (geographically separated) and restricted to the Afrotropic ecozone. The remaining single species forms the monotypic genus Geranospiza.
Contents |
Species list
- Genus Circus
- Montagu's Harrier, Circus pygargus
- Northern or Hen Harrier, Circus cyaneus
- Western Marsh Harrier, Circus aeruginosus
- Eastern Marsh Harrier, Circus spilonotus
- African Marsh Harrier, Circus ranivorus
- Swamp Harrier, Circus approximans
- Madagascar Marsh Harrier, Circus macrosceles (formerly in C. maillardi)
- Réunion Harrier, Circus maillardi
- Long-winged Harrier, Circus buffoni
- Spotted Harrier, Circus assimilis
- Black Harrier, Circus maurus
- Cinereous Harrier, Circus cinereus
- Pallid Harrier, Circus macrourus
- Pied Harrier, Circus melanoleucos
- Eyles' Harrier, Circus eylesi (New Zealand, extinct)
- Genus Polyboroides
- Madagascar Harrier-hawk, Polyboroides radiatus
- African Harrier-hawk, Polyboroides typus
- Genus Geranospiza
- Crane Hawk, Geranospiza caerulescens
See also
- Ring-tail harrier, an informal term for the juveniles and females of several harrier species.
References
- Ferguson-Lees, Christie, Franklin, Mead and Burton Raptors of the World ISBN 0713680261
External links
- Harrier videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Harrier videos on the Internet Bird Collection
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