In this detailed identification guide, we explore all four European harrier species. The Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, and Pallid Harrier, and learn how to tell them apart by their plumage, flight style, and habitat.
From the broad-winged Marsh Harrier hunting over reedbeds, to the ghostly Hen Harrier sweeping across upland moors, the slender Montagu’s Harrier of farmland skies, and the rare, elegant Pallid Harrier from the eastern steppes.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Key identification features of male, female, and juvenile harriers.
- How to distinguish each species by flight pattern and behavior.
- Typical habitats and breeding ranges across Europe and the UK.
- Subtle field marks like wing “fingers,” facial masks, and coloration
The Marsh Harrier – The Wetland Specialist
The Marsh Harrier is the largest and heaviest of Europe’s harriers and the one most often seen in wetland habitats. Once driven to near extinction in various regions, including Britain, strong conservation efforts have brought it back, and now it’s a familiar sight over reedbeds, flooded meadows, and coastal marshes.
It flies with broad wings held in a shallow V, alternating between slow, deep wingbeats and steady glides. A flight that feels powerful compared to its slender cousins. They have broad, powerful wings with five distinct “fingers” at the tips.
Adult Males:
- A mix of chocolate brown and pale gray, with cream-colored head and shoulders.
- The gray extends across the upper wings, contrasting with the darker wingtips and body.
- The pale crown and throat give a regal, almost golden-headed look.
Adult Females:
- Larger and darker, overall chocolate brown with a pale yellow crown and throat, giving an owl-like facial impression.
- Their size and bulk immediately separate them from the slimmer Hen and Montagu’s Harriers.
Juveniles:
- Resemble the female but darker, with a rich brown body and a warm, golden-buff head.
Marsh Harriers are seldom found far from water. If your bird is quartering low over reeds or lakeshores, flying with slow, deliberate power, it’s almost certainly a Marsh Harrier.
The Hen Harrier – The Ghost of the Uplands
The Hen Harrier is the classic upland hunter. The “gray ghost” of the moors. In winter, they disperse to lowland heaths and coastal grasslands, sometimes joined by Scandinavian and Continental birds.
Hen Harriers habitually fly low and buoyantly, back and forth in search of prey, with long wings often held in an upward V. Note that the Hen Harrier has five visible fingers. The importance of this will become clear when we take a look at the Montagu’s Harrier.
Adult Males:
- Silvery-gray above with black wingtips, a white rump, and a clean white belly.
- The gray hood ends abruptly at the chest, sharply contrasting with the body below.
- The elegant, pale form gives them the nickname “ghosts of the moor.”
Adult Females:
- Slightly larger, brown above with a very prominent white rump patch.
- Pale underneath with heavy brown bars and speckles.
- Cooler grayish-brown tone overall, and the same graceful, low hunting style.
Juveniles:
- Similar to females but with warmer ochre or rusty tones on the belly.
- Strong black streaking throughout the underparts.
- The underside of the inner wing is darker than the outer wing, showing the five “fingers” typical of adults.
The Montagu’s Harrier – The Graceful Summer Visitor
The Montagu’s Harrier is the most slender and buoyant of all four species. A delicate, long-winged bird that breeds in small numbers in southern England, France, Spain, and Central Europe. A summer visitor, it arrives in April, breeds through summer, and departs by September.
Montagu’s Harriers prefer open farmland, lowland heaths, and grassy plains, often nesting directly in crops. Their flight is light, elastic, and tern-like, twisting and dipping gracefully as they quarter the fields. Montagu’s harriers have four visible “fingers” at the wingtips, while Hen harriers have five. This is a key way to distinguish between the two species.
Adult Males:
- Pale gray above with black wingtips, white rump, and a faint black bar across the secondaries visible from below.
- Rust-colored streaks on the wing coverts and belly.
- The gray of the head merges gently into the chest, no sharp hood, unlike the Hen Harrier.
- Long, narrow wings and a proportionately longer tail add to their sleek silhouette.
Adult Females:
- Brown above and paler below, with long, narrow wings.
- A pale underwing bar across the secondaries contrasts with warm reddish-brown streaking below.
- Distinct white facial mask, a thin supercilium above, and a crescent line below the eye, which gives the impression of an owl-like face.
Juveniles:
- Rich, rust-red underparts, completely unmarked (unlike young Hen Harriers, which are streaked).
- The long, narrow wings and warm tone make them easy to pick out in the field.
The Pallid Harrier – The Elegant Nomad
Finally, the Pallid Harrier, the rarest and most striking of the four. This species breeds across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, with a handful of individuals reaching Western Europe and Britain each year, primarily during spring and autumn migration. A few have even bred in northern Europe in recent years.
The Pallid Harrier is delicate, light, and buoyant, even more slender than Montagu’s, with a narrow hand, long tail, and incredibly agile flight.
Adult Males:
- Pale, almost silvery gray above with narrow black wingtips and a white rump.
- From below, the wings display a narrow, dark trailing edge and clean, gray secondaries. An overall cleaner, neater look than Montagu’s.
- The face is finely marked, giving a “masked” look, and the underparts are creamy white with a faint orange wash and a thin chest bar.
- The head and chest blend smoothly in color, with no sharp hood.
Adult Females:
- Brown above and pale below, with a narrow, graceful wing structure.
- The most distinctive feature: a well-defined white facial ring, more complete and cleaner than in Montagu’s, making the face appear open and bright.
- The underwing is pale, with a fine, crisp bar on the secondaries and less streaking than Hen or Montagu’s females.
Juveniles:
- Bright orange-cinnamon underparts, unmarked and glowing in good light.
- The contrast between warm body tones and narrow wings gives a distinctly Pallid look.
- The white face and fine wing structure help separate them from similarly colored Montagu’s juveniles.
Field Comparison – The Four European Harriers
| Marsh Harrier | Hen Harrier | Montagu’s Harrier | Pallid Harrier | |
| Habitat | Wetlands, reedbeds, coastal marshes | Upland moors, rough grass, lowland heaths | Farmland, grasslands, open plains | Steppe, open farmland, dry grassland |
| Size | Largest, broad-winged | Medium, long-winged | Slender, long-tailed | Slenderest, narrowest wings |
| Flight Style | Heavy, steady wingbeats | Smooth, buoyant, low quartering | Tern-like, agile | Exceptionally buoyant, falcon-like |
| Male Plumage | Brown body, pale gray wings, cream head | Silver-gray, white belly, gray hood | Pale gray, black wing bar, rusty belly | Silvery gray, narrow black tips, faint chest bar |
| Female Plumage | Dark brown, cream crown, heavy build | Brown, streaked below, white rump | Brown with pale underwing bar, warm reddish tones | Brown, pale underwing, distinct white face ring |
| Juveniles | Dark brown, golden head | Ochre or rusty tones, streaked | Rust-red underparts, unmarked | Bright orange-cinnamon, unmarked |
| Facial Pattern | Cream crown only | Minimal mask | Distinct supercilium and crescent below eye | Full, clear white facial ring |
| Wing “Fingers” | 5 | 5 | 4 (sometimes appears 5 in poor view) | 4 |
| Distribution in UK/Europe | Common breeder | Regular breeder | Local breeder, south | Rare migrant, increasing vagrant |
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References
- Lovette, I. et al. (2016) The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, handbook of bird biology. Third edition. Chichester: Wiley. [Accessed 29/10/2025]
