Is that an owl flying over that grassland? Close! It’s the most owl-like hawk around: the northern harrier. They are great fun to watch as they glide low over the horizon, scanning the ground for their next delicious snack.
Northern harriers are slender, medium-sized raptors that are smaller than a red-tailed hawk. They have a long tail with a bright white spot at the base that is easy to see. Females are larger than males, and they are brown. Males are sometimes called gray ghosts because they are gray and white.
Think about how you move. Do you have a unique way of walking? Do you move your arms in time with your steps? Do you tend to shuffle your feet? Would a friend see you walking clear across the playground but still know it was you because of the way you stride?
It’s similar with northern harriers. They are distinctive from a long way away. These hawks fly close to the ground, often flapping their wings every so often and making sharp turns. When they glide, they hold their wings in a V shape, called a “dihedral.” They might tilt with the wind, looking a little wobbly in flight, but they know what they are doing.
Watch them in flight then try it for yourself! Can you “fly” like a northern harrier? Just don’t forget to stretch your arms. Northern harriers have a wingspan of about 4 feet. That’s about the size of an average 7-year-old.
What makes northern harriers like owls?
Northern harriers are similar to owls in many ways. Let’s take a closer look:
Their face: Northern harrier faces really look a lot like an owl’s. They both have facial disks: a ring of stiff feathers around their face. They can use the feathers to direct sound to their ears.
How they hunt: Unlike other hawks, northern harriers hunt with sound as well as sight. They can even use sound alone — just like owls! Both types of raptors hunt low over open country.
Their habitat: Northern harriers share a home base with short-eared owls. Both like open spaces: grasslands, fields, prairies, marshes and even Arctic tundra. They both nest on the ground during summer. When winter rolls around, short-eared owls might even roost with northern harriers on the ground. A roost is a place where birds come together to rest. So if you see a northern harrier, there might be a short-eared owls hanging around!
What they eat: Both northern harriers and owls are raptors, after all. They go for similar prey, with northern harriers happily scarfing down small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and other birds during the summer and feasting on meadow voles, deer mice, house mice, shrews, rabbits and songbirds like cardinals in the wintertime.
Finding a mate . . . or five
What do you do to impress someone special? Male northern harriers court females with sky dancing and flying barrel rolls. It’s a roller coaster flight that can cover a half-mile of sky going 1,000 feet up in the air! With these winning moves, males will find as many as five mates, but most of the time they just stick to one or maybe two female companions.
Words to know
Horizon: The line at which the earth’s surface and the sky appear to meet.
Incubate: To keep something at a suitable temperature so its develops.
Males and females work together to build a nest and watch over their young. Females will incubate the eggs (sit on them to keep them warm) and stay with the chicks once they hatch. Males will bring food for the mom and babies. They are not territorial about their range, but they are fiercely protective of their nests.
All the courting and mating happens from April through July. Luckily we can find them flying low all over open spaces in Will County during migration season (fall and spring) and winter. Grab your binoculars, look for that V flight and the white spot above their tail. And while you’re waiting, don’t forget to practice your northern harrier flight patterns!
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