To start, let me say that the photo presented is not mine but one by Walter Siegmund (C) 2006 and used with permission.* I was driving south on Mummasburg Road (Gettysburg) past fallow farm fields when I spotted her, a bird of prey that breeds in Canada and in northern parts of the US, wintering in much of Pennsylvania. Each year, as the weather gets cold, I've spotted the Northern Harrier flying over these same fields. It's always a thrill because although their occurrence in my area is "regular," sightings are "uncommon."
The harrier is dimorphic, the male being of a slate gray (even bluish color) and the female, brown. Both have white rumps (a distinguishing field mark) and black tipped wings. This bird of prey has long, wide wings and I can usually distinguish it from hawks by its flying habit low over the ground, whereas certain hawks perch atop poles or dead tree limbs and swoop down upon their prey once sighted. The harrier, instead, flies over in reconnaissance mode.
The harrier will often hover over its potential prey, treading air, before making the plunge. If you're wondering what makes a harrier a harrier and not a hawk . . . I too wondered about that at some past point and learned that the harrier has a facial disc much like an owl (which the hawk hasn't). This facial disc captures sounds from the ground that helps the harrier locate his or her prey.
I've had several intriguing sights of this impressive bird, one that I reported on in this blog back in 2010. That sighting of a beautiful male so impressed me that his description and behavior found its way into the third book of my middle grade trilogy Of the Wing titled The Shining Swan. You can learn more about ti and me at
Until next time . . . keep birds in your heart.
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