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Swamp Harrier
(Circus approximans)
: "Marsh Harrier", "Gould's Harrier", "Swamp-hawk", "Wheat-hawk"
Aboriginal name(s): "tjuRk" [tjapwurrung];
"djilyoordo" (WA)
Size: 50-60 cm; wing span 1.2-1.5 m
Weight: 0.5-0.7 kg (male), 0.7-1.0 kg (female)
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Swamp Harriers have an overall dark brown-grey plumage, with a lightly barred tail.
Only the underside of the primary flight feathers is lighter
grey-brown, while the upperwing is all dark-grey. They have an
off-white rump. The irises, legs and feet are greyish-yellow,
the talons are black.
Juvenile
Swamp Harriers are very dark grey-brown.
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Twitcher's tip |
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In-flight Swamp Harriers can often seen with dangling legs.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Swamp
Harrier at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Swamp Harrier is available
HERE
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The range of the Swamp Harrier extends from Australia,
including Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, and
New Zealand to parts of New Guinea, plus
most of the southern Pacific islands, such as the Solomon
Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga, as far to
the East as French Polynesia.
Swamp Harriers can be found everywhere on the Australian continent,
including Tasmania. They breed in the southern winter in the far
South-West corner of WA and the South-East of the continent (from
Adelaide through all of VIC to eastern Tasmania). At least part of
the population migrate to the North outside the breeding season,
usually populating all of NSW, south-eastern QLD and the Lake Eyre
Basin and parts of the tropical North of Australia. Occasionally,
though, they can be found in the rest of the continent too (although
rarely in the driest parts of the continent).
Swamp Harriers hunt in tall grass and
reeds around
swamps, marshes and
other wetlands and above open water. They are therefore often
found around various well-vegetated wetlands, including
ephemeral wetlands.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
We first spotted a Swamp Harrier 20 km South of Narrabri
in October 2005. It was seen carrying away a snake that it had just
caught.
Since then, Swamp Harriers have been spotted by us infrequently in
inland NSW, e.g.
by roadsides, in
low flight above reeds
or also in grassland.
A single Swamp Harrier was spotted in August 2010, above
Narrabri Lake and another in January 2011, 20 km
East of Narrabri. A pair was observed by us 15 km South-East of Narrabri
in March 2012.
A single Swamp Harrier was also observed by us near Jerseyville, NSW, in
January 2011.
Swamp Harriers were spotted by us in the Hunter Wetlands NP, NSW, on
various occasions.
In August 2014 we spotted a first-year Swamp Harrier at Fogg Dam CR, NT, while B.
Hensen found the species at Lambell's Lagoon, NT, in November 2018.
R. Plumtree reports
spotting a Swamp Harrier at Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, in
November 2014, and another at Lake Omeo, Benambra, East Gippsland,
VIC, in February 2017.
A. Ross-Taylor reports spotting a Swamp Harrier in a wetland at
Carrara, Gold Coast, QLD, in February 2015.
In May 2015 a pair of Swamp Harriers was found hanging out near a
small farm dam for
a short while at Eulah Creek, 20 km East
of Narrabri, NSW.
A pair of Swamp Harriers was found by us at Macquarie Marshes NR
in April 2017.
B. Hensen reports finding a Swamp Harrier near Cape Banks, La
Perouse, Sydney, NSW, in December 2017.
M. Eaton found a Swamp Harrier at Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD,
in September 2018.
M. Windeyer found a Swamp Harrier above an
ephemeral wetland
by the side of a rural road near Gilgandra, NSW, in June 2020.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Near-dorsal view of a Swamp Harrier in flight; the general paleness
of its plumage and
the absence of barring on the tail characterize this bird as an
old male (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Near Cape Banks, La Perouse, Sydney, NSW, December 2017]
Near-lateral view of a male Swamp Harrier in flight
[Macquarie Marshes
NR, NSW, April 2017]
Lateral view of a male Swamp Harrier in flight; note the thin
trailing edge on the underwing and the near-white leg feathers
typical of a male
[Macquarie Marshes
NR, NSW, April 2017]
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FEMALE |
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Near-frontal view of a harrying female Swamp Harrier in flight;
note the rufous leg feathers typical of a female
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, September 2018]
Lateral view of a hovering Swamp Harrier in flight
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2014]
Near-frontal view of a Swamp Harrier in flight (photo
courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2014]
Near-dorsal view of a Swamp Harrier in flight, probably an
immature male moulting into adult
plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2014]
Dorsal view of a Swamp Harrier in flight, showing clearly the
characteristic white rump of an adult bird
[Macquarie Marshes
NR, NSW, April 2017]
Dorsal view of a Swamp Harrier in flight, upsetting the local
Grey Teals
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Near Gilgandra, NSW, June 2020]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Two juvenile Swamp Harriers; one bird is just taking off, while the
other is still sitting in the tree (lower left)
[Near Narrabri, NSW, March 2012]
Lateral view of a juvenile Swamp Harrier in flight
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Lake Omeo, Benambra, East Gippsland, VIC, February 2017]
Clear view of the underwing pattern of a juvenile Swamp Harrier in flight
[Hunter Wetlands NP,
NSW, July 2013]
Dorsal view of a juvenile Swamp Harrier in flight
[Hunter Wetlands NP,
NSW, December 2016]
Like all species of harriers,
Swamp Harriers use a hunting technique called "harrying". An example
of this technique is shown
HERE.
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Food, Diet |
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Adults: Birds, small mammals |
Dependents: As adults |
Water intake: None |
All raptors are carnivores. Swamp Harriers prey on water birds and
waders.
During the first few weeks, raptors feed their chicks with pieces
of meat. Later on in their development, the chicks learn to tear
apart their parents' prey.
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.