Bonanza Bird #6: Northern Harrier

July 15, 2012 in Birds of Prey and Birdorable Bonanza 2012 with 8 comments

Today's new bird in the Birdorable Bonanza 2012 is the Northern Harrier.

In most birds of prey, males and females have similar plumage. The Northern Harrier is an exception to this rule. Males have a mostly grey plumage, while females have a brownish plumage. Northern Harriers have a unique flight style, swooping low over fields and prairies looking for prey items with a butterfly-like flapping pattern.

Northern Harrier by canorus

The tendency to soar low over the ground combined with their unique plumage has earned male Northern Harriers a cute nickname: Grey Ghost.

Sample Northern Harrier t-shirts and gifts

Tomorrow's bird is a South American species of parrot with a raptoresque name. Can you guess what it will be?

Comments

Tough Titmouse on July 15, 2012 at 12:02 PM wrote:

Wow... I personally think the female is prettier... LOL

bluegrosbeak on July 15, 2012 at 12:24 PM wrote:

what does raptoresque mean, i searched all over the web and could not find anything, maybe you can help me

Birdorable on July 15, 2012 at 12:25 PM wrote:

@bluegrosbeak - I just kind of made up that word! It means "raptor-like". :)

laurakeet on July 15, 2012 at 1:25 PM wrote:

that bird stumps me, my best guess is the hoatzin, but that wouldn't be a parrot... although it has similar features as the picture and has similar range. am I correct?

laurakeet on July 15, 2012 at 1:30 PM wrote:

forget what i said before... it isn't an amazon... or a macaw... I don't know what it is!

laurakeet on July 15, 2012 at 1:34 PM wrote:

I got it! A hawk-head parrot!

Louise Warner on March 6, 2017 at 8:22 AM wrote:

hawk-head parrot?

Birder on December 18, 2020 at 8:15 PM wrote:

Red fan parrot

Comments with links or HTML will be deleted. Your comment will be published pending approval.

Your name (required)

Your email address (required)

Your email address will not be published

Comment (required)

I agree to receive updates and news from Birdorable

You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit below, you consent to allow Birdorable to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.

Kingfisher Week Kicks Off!

October 5, 2014

This week, we're celebrating the world's kingfishers! There are about 90 species of kingfisher in the world. These darling birds are often colorful, and they can be found all around the world. Join us as we highlight kingfishers on the Birdorable blog October 5-11, 2014! To kick things...

New Birds for Gull Week: Pallas's & Western Gull

February 21, 2018

Two new birds in the gull family Laridae join Birdorable this week! We've added the Pallas's Gull and the Western Gull to our cute cartoon bird family. The Pallas's Gull is one of the largest species of gull in...

2024 Birdorable Bonanza Bird #8

The Unique World of the Desert Endemic Iranian Ground Jay

November 25, 2024

Today we add a desert endemic to Birdorable: it's the Iranian Ground-Jay! The Iranian Ground-Jay, also known as the Persian Ground Jay or Pleske's Ground-Jay, is a fascinating and elusive bird native to the arid deserts and semi-arid steppes of Iran. This endemic species is part of the...

Swallow-tailed Kites and their Acrobatic Flying Skills

March 8, 2015

It is a sure sign of spring, here in Florida, when the iconic outline of Swallow-tailed Kites can be seen overhead once again. These graceful black-and-white birds, with their deeply forked tails, breed near the coast from Texas to...

Birdorable Blog