Cinereous Harrier vs Hen Harrier

Circus cinereus compared with Circus cyaneus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cinereous Harrier	Hen Harrier
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order same	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)
Family same	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)
Genus same	Circus	Circus
Species	Circus cinereus	Circus cyaneus

Evolutionary Relationship

Cinereous Harrier and Hen Harrier share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Circus.

Conservation Status

Cinereous Harrier

LC — Least Concern

Hen Harrier

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cinereous Harrier	Hen Harrier
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cinereous Harrier

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Norway.

Hen Harrier

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (7 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Venezuela).

Cinereous Harrier

The cinereous harrier (Circus cinereus) is a medium-sized raptor in the family Accipitridae, found across South America, with a breeding range extending from Colombia and Venezuela south through the Andes and adjacent lowlands to Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands. It inhabits open grasslands, marshes, reedbeds, agricultural areas, and the high puna grasslands of the Andes, hunting low over the ground for small birds, rodents, lizards, and frogs. Like other harriers, the cinereous harrier exhibits marked sexual dimorphism: males are pale gray with black wingtips and a white rump, while females are brown and heavily streaked. The species undertakes seasonal migrations, with southern breeding populations moving northward in the austral winter. The cinereous harrier is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, reflecting its wide South American range and adaptability to a variety of open habitats. It is entirely absent from Europe and occurs nowhere near Norway; database records to the contrary are artifacts. Threats include habitat loss from wetland drainage, conversion of native grasslands to intensive agriculture, and persecution from farmers who incorrectly blame harriers for poultry losses. The species can adapt to agricultural landscapes including rice paddies and open pastures, which provides some buffer against habitat loss.

Hen Harrier

Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway