JACKSON, Wyo. — A unique species of raptor can be spotted on the National Elk Refuge (NER) this winter.
The northern harrier (Circus hudsonius) is a species of hawk that shares some appearance and behavior attributes with certain owls.
“Parts of Europe and Asia have several kinds of harriers, but North America has only one,” according to the National Audubon Society. “Harriers are very distinctive hawks, long-winged and long-tailed, usually seen quartering low over the ground in open country. At close range, the face of our Northern Harrier looks rather like that of an owl; like an owl (and unlike most other hawks) it may rely on its keen hearing to help it locate prey as it courses low over the fields.”
NER’s social media post this week noted that the dish-shaped face of a harrier helps it funnel sound to its ears. Harriers can be spotted on the refuge flying over the open fields and wetlands close to the ground as they seek small mammals and birds. They’ve been known to take down prey as large as rabbits and ducks, according to the National Park Service.
Birders identify harriers by their shape (wings in a “shallow V position,” per the park service) and long, slow flight. The Audubon Society compares their typical size to that of a crow or mallard.
