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Pallid Harrier
(Circus macrourus)
: "Pale Harrier"
 German name(s): "Steppenweihe"
Size: 40-48 cm; wing span 95-120 cm
Weight: 315 g (male), 445 g (female); averages
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Pallid Harriers are small harriers. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e.
males and
females
are different.
Male
Pallid Harriers have a pale-grey front, from the frons via
the sides of the head, the throat all the way down to the thigh
plumage
and the undertail coverts. The crown and the back are slate-grey,
with lighter grey edge lining on the wing coverts. The wings have
a white leading edge and black primaries. The tail is light-grey,
prominently barred with darker brownish-grey.
Female
Pallid Harriers have
cryptic
plumage.
The front is light-grey,
with fine brown streaks on the breast. The head is brown, streaked
with darker brown, especially on the crown and the facial mask.
The supercilium, gape and the areas under the eyes are light-grey.
The upperwings are dark grey-brown, with lighter brown edge lining
on the wing coverts.
The underwings show a pronounced bar pattern, with light-grey and
dark-brown barring all along the flight feathers.
The irises of both sexes are yellow. The short, hooked beak is
black with a yellow gape and cere. The legs and feet are
greyish-yellow.
Juvenile
Pallid Harriers have a darker head, but otherwise resemble
females.
Compared to
Montagu's Harriers, both sexes of Pallid Harrier
have lighter underwings.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Pallid
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
.
The global distribution of the Pallid Harrier is available
HERE
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The range in which the Pallid Harrier is resident is quite
limited, from the North coast of the Black Sea eastward
to the Caspian Sea, where they are found from the northern
tip of the Caspian Sea to the slopes of the Caucasus
mountain range.
During the northern summers they extend their breeding range
into western and central Asia, from Ukraine and southern
European Russia via all of Kazakhstan to north-western Mongolia.
Their winter quarters are widespread, from northern Tunisia,
Sicily and southern Italy via the southern Balkans, Greece and
the Aegean islands into all of Turkey, parts of the Middle
East and northern Egypt. Many migrate to sub-Saharan and
eastern Africa or the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula
in Yemen. Some stay in the border region between Iran and
Iraq, on the southern Caspian Sea in northern Iran, others
migrate to eastern Pakistan, all of India (and Sri Lanka)
and on into South-east Asia along the coastline of Burma
and Thailand. A separate population is found in the far
East, in near-coastal central and southern China.
In most of Europe Pallid Harriers are found only occasionally
during their migration between their breeding grounds and their
winter quarters in Africa.
They breed only in far south-eastern Europe, from the West
and North coast of the Black Sea to the plains northward of
the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus.
Outside the breeding season Pallid Harriers are found mostly in
open country, often above grassland.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
J. Pires reports spotting
Pallid Harriers in the Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal,
in March 2018 and again in October 2018.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this
page has kindly been contributed by J. Pires.
A juvenile Pallid Harrier was previously seen by us in
Oman.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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FEMALE |
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Frontal view of a female Pallid Harrier in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, March 2018]
Lateral view of a female Pallid Harrier in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, March 2018]
Lateral view of a female Pallid Harrier in flight, wings down
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, March 2018]
Lateral/ventral view of a female Pallid Harrier in flight, wings up;
note the thin fawn collar, which distinguishes this bird from a female
Montagu's Harrier
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, March 2018]
Lateral/ventral view of a female Pallid Harrier in flight, wings up,
in different light conditions
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, October 2018]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Photos of a juvenile Pallid Harrier were taken by us in
Oman.
Distant frontal view of a female Pallid Harrier in low,
harrying flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, October 2018]
Distant lateral view of a female Pallid Harrier in low,
harrying flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary Nature Reserve, Portugal, October 2018]
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.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
