Northern Harrier

Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)

The Northern Harrier, also known as the "Marsh Hawk," is a bird of prey that can be seen around the Punta Banda estuary. They are slim, long-winged birds with a distinctive white patch on their rump, which makes them easy to identify even from a distance. Males and females look quite different: males, often called "Gray Ghosts," are bluish-gray with white underparts. Females and juveniles are are brown with streaked undersides, making them blend well with their surroundings, but they also have the distinctive white rump (at the upper base of the tail).

Adult Male

Males, often called "Gray Ghosts," are bluish-gray with white underparts.

Adult Female

Females and juveniles are are brown with streaked undersides

These hawks love open areas, and you can find them in marshes and fields. They prefer places where they can glide low over the ground in search of food with their wings held in a v-shape, a distinctive flying pattern. They feed on small mammals, birds, and insects. They have an owl-like facial disk that helps them hear better, making them excellent hunters.

Northern Harriers primarily use northern Baja California as a wintering ground rather than a breeding site. They migrate to this region to escape the colder temperatures of their northern breeding grounds. During the breeding season, they typically nest in more northern areas, such as the northern United States and Canada. However, breeding Northern Harriers were recently discovered as far south as the wetlands of Bahía de San Quintín! Read more about this discovery HERE.