Scientific Name: Circus cyaneus

Residency: Lives year-round only in the very northwest corner of Arizona. Spends winters anywhere in the state.

Diet: Rodents, insects, snakes, small waterfowl, small birds and young birds.

Predators:  American Crows and Northern Ravens destroy eggs.  Raptors, such as the Great Horned Owl, kill fledglings and nestlings.

Nesting: The platform nest is often placed on the ground in marshes. Male and female build the nest out of grass. Four to six bluish-white eggs are laid (one brood per year).

Nesting Records:

Notes: Formerly known as the Marsh Hawk due to its habit of hunting over marshes. The Northern Harrier is one of the easiest hawks to identify: it is a low-flying hawk, gliding just above the ground. This species has suffered population declines throughout its range within the past century. These declines are attributed to loss of wetland habitat and to changes in farming practices, including pesticide use, which either directly contributes to habitat loss, or otherwise affects this species' prey population.

Photo: Taken at Scottsdale Community College on January 13, 2007. For more photos, click on camera icon.

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