North Louisiana Wildlife
Northern harrier swooping down

Did you know that northern harriers are called gray ghosts because of their appearance and the fact that they slowly fly low to hunt?

Northern Harriers
at
a Glance

Northern harrier flying through blue sky

Key Features:

Male northern harriers are gray birds with black wingtips, black bands on their tails, white patch on their rumps, and white undersides. Females have brown streaks on their undersides.

Least Concern - Population Decreasing

Habitat:

Grasslands, wetlands, forests and near rivers

nesting habits:

Northern harriers build nests on the ground in dense vegetation out of alders, cattails, grass, rushes, sedges, and willows.

seasons northern harriers are active in our area:

Winter

Diet:

Voles, frogs, lizards, mice, rabbits, rats, shrews, snakes, songbirds, and toads

hunting Behavior:

Northern harriers hunt by flying low and using their hearing and sight.

Commonly Confused With:

Cooper's Hawks , Mississippi Kites, and Northern Goshawks

Northern harrier flying through blue sky

Northern harriers are often confused with Cooper’s hawks because both are gray birds. Northern harriers have longer wings.

Mississippi kite perched in a tree

Northern harriers  are often confused with Mississippi kites because both are gray birds with black wingtips. Northern harriers have white undersides. Mississippi kites have white heads. 

 

See northern harriers @

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