Marsh Hawk Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum Common Name: Northern Harrier (Marsh Hawk) Classification: Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Falconiformes Family: Accipitridae Genus: Circus Species: cyaneus Museum Location: : Northern Illinois Prairie Diorama Description: Adult males are pale gray and females are streaked brown. Both sexes have a white rump patch. They weigh approximately 1 pound and range in length from 16 to 20 inches long. The young are a rusty brown color. The oldest of these birds lived for 16½ years, but their average lifespan is 7 years. Habitat and Range: Northern harriers are found from Alaska and Canada to the southern United States. They are found in Illinois during their winter migration and sometimes even during the summer. They live in wetlands, savannas, fields, meadows and marshes; hence their common name-the 'marsh' hawk. Diet: Field mice make up a majority of their diet, but other food sources include insects, small rodents and small reptiles. Northern harriers glide over the ground while hunting their prey, and they dive down quickly to catch it. Behavior: Northern harriers have the ability to walk and hop as well as fly. Harriers will fly low to the ground, sometimes gliding. Males will fly faster than females because of their shorter wings. Communication: Northern harriers communicate via visual, tactile and acoustic methods. Calls of distress are uttered by both the adults and the young, though the young are most vocal when trying to gain their parents' attention. Reproduction: Northern harriers will breed in meadows or open marshland. Courtship displays undertaken by the male include flying high in the air and diving to the ground while twirling and spinning. Males are polygamous, having between 1-5 mates per season. Northern harriers will nest on the ground, and their nests are composed of twigs and reeds and lined with grass. Three to five eggs, bluish white and occasionally blotched with light brown, are laid and hatched after approximately a month of incubation. They become independent between 45-66 days old. Species Status: Though no conservation measures have been undertaken for this bird, some populations have declined from wetland habitat loss. Interesting Facts: This bird will sometimes secure large prey such as a rabbit or duck by drowning it. By Suzy Bartoz