African Marsh Harrier (Circus ranivorus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

African Marsh Harrier

Circus ranivorus (Daudin, 1800)

44–47 cmLength507 gWeight

The African marsh harrier (Circus ranivorus) is a bird of prey belonging to the harrier genus Circus.

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Uganda, Botswana

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Uganda, Botswana

African Marsh Harrier has been recorded at 253 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 16 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Strandfontein WTPSouth Africa1,295 records
  2. Mabamba SwampUganda986 records
  3. West Coast NPSouth Africa430 records
More places
  1. Macaneta – Wetland, dune forests and coastMozambique354 records
  2. Mabamba Swamp – Main channelUganda333 records
  3. Marievale Bird SanctuarySouth Africa316 records
  4. Wakkerstroom Wetland NR – bridge/causewaySouth Africa254 records
  5. West Coast NP – Geelbek hides vicinitySouth Africa253 records
  6. West Coast NP – Abrahamskraal hideSouth Africa223 records
  7. Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Ngorongoro CraterTanzania213 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaUgandaBotswanaTanzaniaMozambiqueKenyaZambiaNamibia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The African marsh harrier (Circus ranivorus) is a bird of prey belonging to the harrier genus Circus. It is largely resident in wetland habitats in southern, central and eastern Africa from South Africa north to South Sudan.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the African Marsh Harrier?

The African Marsh Harrier is about 44–47 cm long and weighs around 507 g.

Where does the African Marsh Harrier live?

Its breeding range: Africa: South Sudan and Kenya to South Africa. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Uganda and Botswana.

When is the best time to see the African Marsh Harrier?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the African Marsh Harrier endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the African Marsh Harrier as Least Concern.

What does the African Marsh Harrier eat?

Main food: Vertebrate prey.

What family is the African Marsh Harrier in?

It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.

At a glance

Length
44–47 cm
Weight
507 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Vertebrate prey
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
363 mm
Tail
227 mm
Bill
35 mm
Tarsus
84 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: South Sudan and Kenya to South Africa

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
Genus
Circus

Other birds in the genus Circus

Spotted HarrierSpotted HarrierCircus assimilisPallid HarrierPallid HarrierCircus macrourusBlack HarrierBlack HarrierCircus maurusHen HarrierHen HarrierCircus cyaneusNorthern HarrierNorthern HarrierCircus hudsoniusCinereous HarrierCinereous HarrierCircus cinereusLong-winged HarrierLong-winged HarrierCircus buffoniMontagu's HarrierMontagu's HarrierCircus pygargusPied HarrierPied HarrierCircus melanoleucosWestern Marsh HarrierWestern Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosusEastern Marsh HarrierEastern Marsh HarrierCircus spilonotusPapuan HarrierPapuan HarrierCircus spilothorax
African Marsh Harrier

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from reference photos. ↗

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