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The western marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus) is a large harrier, a bird of prey from temperate and subtropical western Eurasia and adjacent Africa. It is also known as the Eurasian marsh harrier.
Scientific Name : Circus Aeruginosus
Family : Accipitridae
Order : Accipitriformes
Class : Aves
Type : Hawks, Kites And Eagles
Conservation Status : Least concern (LC)
Size : 43 - 54 cm
Compare Size : Kite +-
Wingspan : 115 - 130 cm
Weight : 400 - 800 g
Migratory : Migrant
Sex Alike : No
Nesting Season : 3 - 8 eggs
Other Names :
English : Eurasian Marsh Harrier
Hindi : कुटर
Marathi : दलदल भोवत्या, पाणघार, दलदल ससाणा, दलदल हारिण
Habitat:
Like the other marsh harriers, it is strongly associated with wetland areas, especially those rich in common reed (Phragmites australis). It can also be met with in a variety of other open habitats, such as farmland and grassland, particularly where these border marshland.
Breeding:
Mid-March to Early May
Feeding:
It feeds on small mammals, small birds, insects, reptiles, and frogs
| Male | |
|---|---|
| Wing | fairly broad |
| Breast | yellowish streaks prominent |
| Head | pale greyish-yellowish |
| Secondaries | grey |
| Tertials | grey |
| Primaries | black |
| Forewing | brown; lighter on the underwing side |
| Legs | yellow |
| toes | yellow |
| Cere | yellow |
| Iris | yellow |
| Bill | black |
| Note : plumage mostly reddish-brown with lighter yellowish streaks |
|
| Female | |
|---|---|
| Wing | fairly broad |
| Head | have of a conspicuously lighter yellowish colour on top |
| Throat | have of a conspicuously lighter yellowish colour |
| Wing | shoulders have of a conspicuously lighter yellowish colour |
| Legs | yellow |
| toes | yellow |
| Cere | yellow |
| Iris | dark-brown |
| Bill | black |
| Note : almost entirely chocolate-brown; eye area of the female is always darker, making the light eye stand out |
|
| Juvenile | |
|---|---|
| Note : similar to females, but usually have less yellow, particularly on the shoulders |
| Hypermelanic morph | |
|---|---|
| Note : largely dark plumage. Juveniles of this morph may look entirely black in flight |
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| 03 Nov 2018 | Bird Watching Area, Bhandup West, Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| 14 Nov 2018 | Bird Watching Area, Bhandup West, Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| 31 Jan 2019 | Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan |
| 01 Feb 2019 | Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan |
