Hen Harrier

Habitat: Reed beds on moist soil, in raised bogs, heathland and moist dune valleys.

Appearance: Found in most of Europe (except Iceland) as a summer visitor, resident or winter visitor. In Belgium and the Netherlands, it is an extremely rare breeding bird – year-round resident – partially migratory – winter visitor in very small to small numbers.

Breeding season: May to August. Ground nest – the nest is a pile of grass on the ground. Only the female breeds. She knows how to make a quick getaway when danger threatens. May is the main breeding season. The young are able to fly after six weeks and can feed themselves about three weeks later. Four to six eggs.

Characteristics: Length 45 – 55 cm, wingspan 99 – 121 cm, weight 290 – 600 grams, age over 17 years.

Food: In a tireless search flight, the birds hover low above their hunting grounds, usually following the same route. About every hour, they land for a short rest. However, they never sit in trees. The Hen Harrier catches its prey exclusively on the ground and, in emergencies, also pursues it on foot. The prey is usually consumed at the place where it was struck.