Circus macrourus (S.G. Gmelin, 1770)

Circus macrourus, commonly called the Pallid Harrier, is a migratory medium-sized raptor that breeds in southern parts of eastern Europe and central Asia and winters mainly in India and southeast Asia.

Not within Indian limits.

Full migrant. Widespread winter visitor throughout India.

Maximum longevity: 13.5 years (wild)

Length: 46-51cm. Wingspan: 95–120 cm. Weight: 315 g in males and 445 g in females.

Slim winged and slender bodied Harrier. Adult males are pale ashy grey in colour, with a very pale grey head and underbody, grey upperparts, dark wedge on primaries, long narrow pointed black-tipped wings and a long white tail cross-barred with grey. Adult females brown, irregularly barred with strong head pattern, dark eye-stripe, owl-like ruff around head, dark ear coverts, pale collar, distinctive underwing pattern and pale primaries. Juveniles have narrow white supercilium, a broad pale collar, extensive dark-ear covert patches, unstreaked buff underparts and underwing coverts, even barring and a pale crescent base on underwing primaries. May also show a rusty breast band.

Hen Harrier, Montagu's Harrier

This solitary bird spends a large part of the day hunting, foraging to distances of 20km from its roost. Sailing gracefully over standing crops and grasslands, this bird scans the countryside tirelessly on outspread, nearly motionless wings and swoops down rapidly to pounce upon prey almost as soon as it sights its quarry. This bird prefers to perch on the ground instead of a bush or tree. Though it is belived to have a a call similar to that of C. pygargus and C. cyaneus, this bird is usually very quiet and is mostly silent in winter.

Carnivore. Feeds on grasshoppers, lizards, frogs, nestling or disabled birds as well as larks and pipits, small mammals like voles, mice and gerbils etc.

A. Global: Landmass Type: Continent Habitat systems: Terrestrial; Freshwater. Forest Dependency: Low. Altitude: 0 - 4000 m. General Habitats: Forest - Boreal; Savanna - Dry; Grassland - Temperate, Subtropical/Tropical Dry; Wetlands (inland)- Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands. Breeding Habitats: Forest - Boreal forest; Grassland - Subtropical/tropical (lowland) dry grassland, Temperate grassland. B. Indian subcontinent: Undulating plateaus, grassy hillsides, cultivation and semi-desert.

Keeps to cultivated and scrub country and rolling grassland. Perches on ground in preference to bush or tree.

Not endemic.

18,000 - 30,000 mature individuals (2003)

Decreasing

Red List Category & Criteria: Near Threatened (ver 3.1) Year Published: 2008 Assessor/s: BirdLife International Reviewer/s: Taylor, J., Butchart, S., Pople, R., Burfield, I. Contributor/s: Corso, A., Murphy, P., Katzner, T., Hall, P., Simmons, R., Morozov, V., Pomeroy, D., Brouwer, J., Vintchevski, A., Tyler, S., Bragin, E.

IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened

In breeding range, destruction and modification of habitat by humans for agriculture and pasture land. In wintering grounds, main threats include loss of grasslands due to human activity and use of harmful pesticides.

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) India Listed Species:Yes. Appendix:II. CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Global Listed Species:Yes. Appendix:II. AEWA (Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds) Listed Species:Yes. Appendix:II. IWPA (Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972) Listed Species:No.