The
western marsh harrier (
Circus aeruginosus), often simply called the
marsh harrier, breeds widely across
Europe and
Asia. It is migratory except in the mildest regions, and winters mainly in
Africa. It hunts small
mammals,
frogs,
fish,
insects and
birds, surprising them as it drifts low over fields and reedbeds. Its long legs allow it to pluck frogs and fish from the water mid-swoop. The western marsh harrier is a typical harrier, with long wings held in a shallow V in its low flight. It also resembles other harriers in having distinct male and female plumages, but its plumages are quite different from those of its relatives. The male has wings with grey and brown sections and black wingtips. Its head, tail and underparts are greyish, except for the chestnut belly. The female is mainly brown with a cream crown and cream leading edge to her wings. It is 19–22 inches long and weighs 1–2 lbs. The
eastern marsh harrier (
C. spilonotus) breeds in the grasslands and wetlands of southern
Siberia, northern
Mongolia, north-east
China,
Manchuria and
Japan, and
migrates for the northern winter to
South-east Asia, the
Philippines and northern
Borneo. Like all marsh harriers, it favours open, wet environments, and is frequently seen drifting low over rice fields, interspersing long, watchful circling glides with two or three slow, powerful wingbeats. Two subspecies are recognised:
C. s. spilonotus of east Asia, and
C. s. spilothorax, of
New Guinea and the islands nearby, which is sometimes thought to be a separate species and is often called the
Papuan harrier. The
swamp harrier (
C. approximans) at about 50 to 58 cm is slightly larger than
C. spilonotus, often a little darker, and has less heavily barred wings and tail. It is commonly found in suitable habitat anywhere in
Australasia, particularly in the higher rainfall areas to the east, south-east, and south-west, of
Australia and throughout
New Zealand, but also in the tropical north of Australia and the island groups of
New Caledonia,
Vanuatu,
Fiji,
Tonga and the
Society Islands. It is also known as the
Australasian harrier or
Pacific marsh harrier. The
Madagascar marsh harrier or
Madagascar harrier (
C. maillardi) is found on the
Indian Ocean islands of
Madagascar,
Réunion and the
Comoros. It is sometimes split into two species: Madagascar harrier (
Circus macrosceles) and
Réunion harrier (
C. maillardi). The
African marsh harrier (
C. ranivorus) is a distinct non-migratory species that has not usually been included as a subspecies of
C. aeruginosus. It inhabits southern and eastern
Africa. ==Gallery==