Northern Harrier
Circus hudsonius
Northern Harriers in Oregon, like elsewhere, are highly **sexually dimorphic**, meaning males and females have distinct appearances, especially in their adult plumage. They're also unique among North American raptors for relying heavily on their owl-like facial disc and keen hearing to hunt prey in dense vegetation.
Male Northern Harrier
Adult male Northern Harriers are quite striking and often referred to as the **"Gray Ghost"** due to their pale coloration.
Coloration:
Upperparts: Mostly **light gray** on the back and upperwings.
Underparts: Predominantly **white**, sometimes with faint rufous (rusty) spotting on the breast or flanks, though many appear pure white.
Wingtips: Distinctive **black wingtips**.
Trailing Edge of Wings: Often show a dark trailing edge on the underwing.
Eyes: Bright lemon-yellow eyes.
Size: Generally smaller and lighter than females. They average about 16-18 inches (41-46 cm) in length and 10-14 ounces (280-400 g) in weight.
Flight: They have a buoyant, almost wavering flight, often holding their wings in a shallow "V" (dihedral) while flying low over fields and marshes. Males tend to fly faster and lower than females while hunting.
Female Northern Harrier
Adult female Northern Harriers have a very different, more earth-toned plumage compared to the males.
Coloration:
Upperparts: Mostly **rich brown** on the back and upperwings.
Underparts: **Buffy (pale yellowish-brown) with heavy brown streaking** on the breast and belly.
Underwings: Often appear dark or heavily barred.
Eyes: Typically lemon-yellow eyes, though they can be less bright than those of males, and juvenile females have dark chocolate-brown eyes that gradually turn yellow.
Size: Larger and heavier than males, averaging about 18-20 inches (46-51 cm) in length and 14-21 ounces (400-600 g) in weight. Females can be about 50% heavier than males.
Flight: Similar low, "kiting" flight pattern to males, with wings held in a dihedral, but they may fly slightly higher and more deliberately.
Shared Characteristics (Both Sexes)
White Rump Patch: A conspicuous white patch on the rump (above the tail) is a key identification feature for all Northern Harriers, regardless of sex or age, and is easily seen in flight.
Owl-like Face: They possess a distinctive facial disc of stiff feathers around their face, similar to owls. This disc helps to funnel sound to their ears, aiding in their ability to locate prey by sound in tall grass or low-light conditions.
Habitat: In Oregon, they are commonly found in open habitats like grasslands, marshes, agricultural fields, and wet meadows, particularly east of the Cascades.
Hunting: Both sexes hunt by flying low over the ground, often in a zigzag pattern, using both sight and hearing to detect small mammals (like voles and mice) and birds.
Juvenile Northern Harriers
Juvenile Northern Harriers of both sexes generally resemble the adult female but often have a more rufous (reddish-brown) wash on their underparts and can be darker overall. Their eye color is also different: juvenile males have pale greenish-yellow eyes, while juvenile females have dark chocolate-brown eyes, which gradually change to yellow as they mature.
Male Northern Harrier
Adult male Northern Harriers are quite striking and often referred to as the **"Gray Ghost"** due to their pale coloration.
Coloration:
Upperparts: Mostly **light gray** on the back and upperwings.
Underparts: Predominantly **white**, sometimes with faint rufous (rusty) spotting on the breast or flanks, though many appear pure white.
Wingtips: Distinctive **black wingtips**.
Trailing Edge of Wings: Often show a dark trailing edge on the underwing.
Eyes: Bright lemon-yellow eyes.
Size: Generally smaller and lighter than females. They average about 16-18 inches (41-46 cm) in length and 10-14 ounces (280-400 g) in weight.
Flight: They have a buoyant, almost wavering flight, often holding their wings in a shallow "V" (dihedral) while flying low over fields and marshes. Males tend to fly faster and lower than females while hunting.
Female Northern Harrier
Adult female Northern Harriers have a very different, more earth-toned plumage compared to the males.
Coloration:
Upperparts: Mostly **rich brown** on the back and upperwings.
Underparts: **Buffy (pale yellowish-brown) with heavy brown streaking** on the breast and belly.
Underwings: Often appear dark or heavily barred.
Eyes: Typically lemon-yellow eyes, though they can be less bright than those of males, and juvenile females have dark chocolate-brown eyes that gradually turn yellow.
Size: Larger and heavier than males, averaging about 18-20 inches (46-51 cm) in length and 14-21 ounces (400-600 g) in weight. Females can be about 50% heavier than males.
Flight: Similar low, "kiting" flight pattern to males, with wings held in a dihedral, but they may fly slightly higher and more deliberately.
Shared Characteristics (Both Sexes)
White Rump Patch: A conspicuous white patch on the rump (above the tail) is a key identification feature for all Northern Harriers, regardless of sex or age, and is easily seen in flight.
Owl-like Face: They possess a distinctive facial disc of stiff feathers around their face, similar to owls. This disc helps to funnel sound to their ears, aiding in their ability to locate prey by sound in tall grass or low-light conditions.
Habitat: In Oregon, they are commonly found in open habitats like grasslands, marshes, agricultural fields, and wet meadows, particularly east of the Cascades.
Hunting: Both sexes hunt by flying low over the ground, often in a zigzag pattern, using both sight and hearing to detect small mammals (like voles and mice) and birds.
Juvenile Northern Harriers
Juvenile Northern Harriers of both sexes generally resemble the adult female but often have a more rufous (reddish-brown) wash on their underparts and can be darker overall. Their eye color is also different: juvenile males have pale greenish-yellow eyes, while juvenile females have dark chocolate-brown eyes, which gradually change to yellow as they mature.