90 FAUCONIDÆ.
RAPTORES. FALCON1DÆ.
TH E MARSH H A R R IER .
Falco teruginosus, Moor Buzzard.
Buteo ,, ”
Circus rufus, Marsh Harrier,
Buteo ,,
Circus ,, . . f
Falco ,, Busard de Marc
P enn. Brit. Zool. vol. i. p. 237.
Mont. Ornith. Diet.
B ewick, Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 26.
F lem. Brit. An. p. 55.
Selby, Brit. Ornith. vol. i. p. 66.
J enyns, Brit. Vert. p. 88.
Gould, Birds of Europe, pt. xvi.
i, Temm. Man. d’Ornith. vol. i. p. 69.
Circus. Generic Characters.—Beak small, bending from the base, compressed
and elevated; cutting edge of the upper mandible with a slight festoon.
Cere large. Nostrils oval. Lore covered with radiating hairs. Head surrounded
with a ruff of small feathers. Wings long ; the first wing-feather very
short, the third or fourth feather the longest. Tail long. Tarsi long, slender,
and naked ; claws slightly curved, and very sharp.
MARSH HARRIER. 91
T h e M a r s h H a r r i e r , though frequently called a Buzzard,
is, in conjunction with the two British species to be
described next in succession, immediately distinguished
from the true Buzzards by the more elongated and slender
form of their bodies* their lengthened, taper and naked legs,
the still greater softness of their plumage, and by the circular
disk of short feathers which surrounds the face. In the
two points last mentioned,—namely, the loose and floculent
character of the feathers, and the circular arrangement of
those about the face,— the Harriers exhibit an obvious resemblance
to the Owls, and the affinity on comparing the
skeletons of each is most decided.
One of the remarkable traits in the species of the genus
C i r c u s , as established by Bechstein, is, that the males when
adult are all more or less ash grey in colour, while the
females retain their original tints of red or brown. This at
least is the case with all the known species, four of which are
European. The Marsh Harrier is the largest British bird
of the genus, and appears to require a greater length of
time than others of smaller size before the male exhibits any
portion of the ash grey plumage ; nor is it known, that I
am aware, that this species ever at any age becomes entirely
grey, like the other smaller males among the Harriers; but
when the habits and plumage of the Marsh Harrier are duly
considered, and compared with those of the two species
which follow here in succession, no doubt will remain that
the bird now under consideration is a true Harrier, and not
a Buzzard.
The Marsh Harrier, as its name imports, is generally
found on low and level lands, or uncultivated heaths and
moors; and of the counties within a day’s ride of London,
examples appear to be most numerous in Cambridgeshire.
Their flight, though slow, is smooth, performed with ease,
but near the ground; and from the regular manner in which