Wildlife
Marsh harriers are slow fliers and can remain airborne at speeds of less than 32kmph (20mph). Flying at such slow speeds makes it easier for them to detect prey. Northern European and Asian birds tend to migrate, with British birds going to West Africa, but even in Britain, some birds are sedentary and do not make these migrations. Their preferred habitat is moorland, marshes, fens, reedbeds and swamps. Some species in Britain are now breeding in cereal fields. Frogs make up a large component of the marsh harrier's diet, but small mammals, reptiles, insects, eggs and nestlings are also consumed.
Scientific name: Circus aeruginosus
Rank: Species
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Wicken walk
An evening stroll through Wicken Fen reveals marsh harriers and muntjac deer.
An evening stroll through Wicken Fen reveals marsh harriers and muntjac deer.
Nesting harriers
Once rare UK marsh harriers are now breeding successfully.
Once rare UK marsh harriers are now breeding successfully.
Wetland raptor
East Anglia is the stronghold of rare marsh harriers.
East Anglia is the stronghold of rare marsh harriers.
Flight test
Tropic birds and marsh harriers assess mates by their aerobatic skills.
Tropic birds and marsh harriers assess mates by their aerobatic skills.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Marsh harrier can be found in a number of locations including: Africa, Asia, China, Europe, Indian subcontinent, Mediterranean, Russia, United Kingdom, Wales. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Marsh harrier distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Year assessed: 2009
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The Western Marsh-harrier (Circus aeruginosus) is a large harrier, a bird of prey from temperate and subtropical western Eurasia and adjacent Africa. It is also known as the Eurasian Marsh-harrier.
Formerly, a number of relatives were included in C. aeruginosus, which was then known as "Marsh Harrier". The related taxa are now generally considered to be separate species: the Eastern Marsh-harrier (C. spilonotus) and the possibly distinct Papuan Harrier (C. (s.) spilothorax) of eastern Asia and the Wallacea, the Swamp Harrier (C. approximans) of Australasia and the Madagascar Marsh-harrier (C. maillardi) of the western Indian Ocean islands.
The Western Marsh-harrier is often divided into two subspecies, the widely migratory C. a. aeruginosus which is found across most of its range, and C. a. harterti which is resident all-year in north-west Africa.
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Farmland
Marsh
Swamp
Wetlands
Helpless young
Migration
Carnivorous
Courtship display
Adapted to flying
Acoustic communication
Monogamous
Moulting
Egg layer
Parental investment
Predator
Scavenger
Sexual dimorphism
Visual communication