Bird PlacesSpecies guide
Where to see marsh harrier in the UK
Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) are recorded at 15 sites in this directory, across 11 counties and every managing organisation. Best seasons: spring, summer.
How to find marsh harrier
In 1971 there was a single breeding pair of marsh harriers in Britain. There are now several hundred, and at a decent East Anglian or Somerset reedbed in summer you can reasonably expect to see one within an hour. Few British birds have recovered so completely.
They hunt by quartering — flying slowly and low over the reeds with the wings in a shallow V, tilting and rocking, dropping suddenly when something is spotted. That flight is the identification at any distance. A buzzard soars in circles; a marsh harrier works methodically back and forth a few metres above the vegetation.
Plumage is confusing because the sexes differ sharply and young birds differ again. Females are large, dark brown with a distinctly creamy head and shoulders; males are smaller with grey in the wings and tail. If you see two very different-looking harriers over the same reedbed, that is normal rather than two species.
Spring is the best time, partly because the birds are active over territory and partly because of the sky-dancing display — the male climbs and tumbles, and pairs sometimes pass food in mid-air, the female flipping upside down to take it from his feet.
Any large reedbed reserve is worth a look. Unlike most raptors they are tied closely to habitat rather than to a handful of sites, so the reedbed nearest you is usually the right answer.