Ever See A Low Flying Hawk With A White Rump?

Northern Harrier Hawk (female) photo by Walter Ammann

Passing an open field on my way into town last week I saw a hawk alternately flapping its wings then soaring very close to the ground.  As soon as I saw its white rump I knew it was a Northern Harrier Hawk.  The white rump and owl-like facial disk is distinctive in all ages and both sexes of this bird.

Northern Harrier photo by William Mancebo

Northern Harrier Hawks have slim bodies with long, narrow wings which they hold in a shallow V.  The adult male is mainly gray above and white below with black wing tips.  The female is brown above, whitish below with heavy brown streaking on breast and flanks, lighter streaking and spotting on belly.  They are 18 – 20 inches long with a wingspan of 40 -46 inches and weigh between 11 – 26 ounces.

Watch this unbelievable footage of this awesome hawk by clicking the arrow below.  I think this photographer got a bit too close to this bird’s nest site.

The Northern Harrier’s flight follows the contour of the land below them.  They generally perch low and fly close to the ground, wings upraised as they search for mice, rats,frogs and other prey.  They rely on their hearing as well as their vision to capture their prey, unlike most other hawks.  They nest on the ground usually laying four to six whitish eggs.

These beautiful hawks are fairly common in wetlands and open fields all across North America.  The one I saw early in the morning may have been hunting as I saw it disappear below an oak tree, into the grass.

Thank to Walter Ammann and William Mancebo for their incredible photos.  You can see more of William Mancebo’s work by clicking on his link in the blogroll.