Circus macrourus - Pallid Harrier
Feather characters. Barbules are very long (2.1-2.9 mm), filamentous and entangled. Barbules contain lightly stippled pigment. Slightly thickened nodes (11-13 per mm) are located on proximal end of barbules. Over a short distance these nodes abruptly decrease in size. Further along the barbule, nodal structures are too small to qualify as nodes. Villi are absent and internodes are straight. Minute prongs may be present along the entire length of barbules, on both sides of the pennulum. These prongs are unequally distributed, and many nodal structures without prongs may be found.
Field characters. Length 40-48 cm; wingspan 95-110 cm. Weight: male 332 g (311-374), female 445 g (402-550) (Dunning, 1993). Male with pale grey head, upperparts, tail, and wings; black of primaries forms wedge-shaped panel at end of wing visible on both surfaces. Underbody and underwing white; rump grey. Female very similar to Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus, not included in BRIS), but dark trailing edge to under primaries indistinct (more demarcated in Montagu's); underwing secondaries appear darker than primaries, rather diffuse and narrow pale bands on secondaries are tapering towards body (bands more obvious in Montagu's with rearmost band broader than trailing edge); underwing-coverts much less distinctly barred; head and upper breast usually more densely streaked than belly (Montagu's evenly streaked); facial pattern with clear white collar, narrow white cheek and large dark ear-covert crescent (Montagu's head paler with indistinct rusty-toned collar and larger pale area around eye, ear-covert patch more isolated) and rather plain upper wing (Montagu's has paler wings with dark bar on secondaries). Juvenile mostly unstreaked rusty below with dark secondaries and a strong facial pattern. Again very similar to Montagu's. Best character is a stronger head pattern, with a clear white collar between dark ear-covert area and dark brown neck (collar less pronounced and more rusty in Montagu's), a narrow supercilium, less white around the eye and a dark loral area (white more extended in Montagu's).
Voice. In the breeding area, produces a chattering note like "yick-yick-yick".
Distribution. Rare summer visitor in the eastern part of the region. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Prefers open terrains, mainly dry grasslands.
Food. Hunts by patrolling ground over definite course, catching prey after quick pounce. Feeds mainly on ground mammals and birds, but takes also insects and reptiles.