Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

African Marsh Harrier

Circus ranivorus

The African marsh harrier (Circus ranivorus) is a bird of prey, a member of the harrier genus Circus, with a penchant for wetland habitats. This raptor is characterized by its mostly brown plumage, adorned with pale streakings on the head, breast, and forewing, and a rufous hue on the thighs and belly. The adult male is distinguished by a pale grey wash on the dorsal secondaries and primaries, while the female's plumage remains brown. Both sexes possess yellow eyes upon reaching maturity, though they are brown when immature. The juvenile is cloaked in dark brown with potential pale markings on the head and a possible pale breastband. At all ages, the tail and flight feathers exhibit dark barring, though this is often obscured in juveniles.

Identification Tips

When observing the African marsh harrier, note the absence of a white rump, a feature that distinguishes it from similar species such as the Montagu's harrier or pallid harrier. The adult male's pale grey secondary feathers contrast with the female's brown, aiding in sex identification. The bird's silhouette is slimmer than that of the Eurasian marsh harrier, and its overall coloration is a paler brown.

Habitat

The African marsh harrier thrives in marshes and reedbeds, often extending its hunting grounds to open grasslands and cultivated areas near wetlands. Its presence spans from sea level to altitudes as high as 3,000 meters, with a preference for regions above 1,500 meters.

Distribution

This species is predominantly resident in the moister regions of southern and eastern Africa, with a range extending from the Western Cape through eastern South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, and into parts of Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and as far north as South Sudan. Disjunct populations are found in northern Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya.

Behaviour

The African marsh harrier is monogamous and territorial, often remaining near its breeding grounds throughout the year. It is known for its slow, low-altitude flights over wetlands and adjacent drier areas while hunting. This raptor does not form communal roosts and typically roosts alone, embarking on its hunting forays early in the morning.

Song & Calls

The male African marsh harrier emits a high-pitched, two-note display call, while the female alone is known for a far-carrying "pseeew-pseeew" call associated with food and copulation during the breeding season.

Breeding

Breeding pairs construct their nests within reedbeds, sometimes well above water. They lay two to four white eggs with a blue wash, which allows for the identification of newly laid eggs. The breeding season spans from July to November.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the African marsh harrier is varied, consisting predominantly of small mammals, such as the striped mouse, which comprises 70% of its prey. It also feeds on adult birds, fledglings, lizards, frogs, and large insects, occasionally preying on birds as large as the Red-billed teal and the speckled pigeon. In some regions, doves, particularly laughing doves, are a favored prey. The species is adept at catching prey on the ground, but it is also capable of snatching birds and insects mid-flight.

Conservation status

The African marsh harrier is classified as Least Concern, with common sightings at numerous wetland sites across eastern and southern Africa. However, in South Africa, the species is considered regionally endangered, with an estimated 3,000-6,000 pairs remaining. Populations are declining due to habitat loss from drainage, damming, over-grazing, human disturbance, and potential pesticide poisoning. Despite these threats, large areas of suitable habitat remain, particularly in Botswana's Okavango Delta and across much of Zambia, where the species is still locally common. The total population is preliminarily estimated to number between 10,000–100,000 individuals.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

African Marsh Harriers on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Kites, Hawks, Eagles

A photo of a Shikra (Accipiter badius)

Shikra

Accipiter badius
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😃
Marlster24
Very Wholesome App
Joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😄
Trevarthen1
Birda fan
I really enjoy using Birda, all sightings are recorded and photos can be added. There are monthly challenges which help to get you out to record your sightings. The Birda community are great and are happy to help with unidentified bird sightings. Suitable for all ages and experience!
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.