In North America, Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius) are one of the easiest raptors to find and identify. If you visit a large marsh, you will almost always be able to spot a harrier flying low over the grasses and reeds with its distinctive flight pattern and bright white rump.
Their long wings are typically held in a shallow “v” (although they do present a wide array of wing shapes) and they teeter in circles, sometimes stopping and nearly hovering, appearing weightless, until they suddenly accelerate towards the ground, coming up with a rodent from the grass. While they mostly hunt small mammals, they will sometimes catch and eat birds and grasshoppers. They are even known to catch much larger prey than themselves, such as rabbits and ducks. Harriers are only able to do this by forcibly submerging and drowning them.
They do not have many natural predators since they are quite agile. Their wobbly style of flight might trick others into thinking they are clumsy, similar to a Turkey Vulture, but can quickly turn agile when threatened and out-maneuver other raptors. Their main competition is with Short-Eared Owls, since Northern Harriers
hunt much later into twilight than other hawks.
They will hunt over the same marshes, sometimes stealing each other's prey. The Northern Harrier even has an owl-like facial disk that assists with hearing. In the winter, Northern Harriers and Short-Eared Owls can sometimes be found roosting together.
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