Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)

OTHER NAMES: Ring-tailed Hawk
Latin Etymology: Circus (bird named for circling flight) hudsonius (of the Hudson Bay)

Adult male Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) in the Alberta, Canada - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 350-530g  /  Length: 43-58cm  /  Wingspan: 97-122cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Formerly considered a subspecies of the Hen Harrier, it is the only regularly occuring harrier species of North America and in actuality is more closely related to the Cinereous Harrier of South America than the Hen. Unlike the Hen Harrier in the UK, it is a very widely distributed species found at various times of the year from tundra to tropics.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Circus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CANADA -Breeds throughout most of Country
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - Seen in Alberta,

UNITED STATES  - Found throughout the Continental United States,
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen from moving car approaching South end of the Bay Area
- CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in North Dakota

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto