Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
DESCRIPTION
Medium to large sized raptor. The grey and white adult male can be distinguished easily from the female or juvenile birds ("ringtails"). Adult females are brown and tend to have lighter underbelly's, both sexes have a distinctive white rump, although this is more noticeable in the females and juveniles due to the contrast with the brown plumage.
HABITAT
Mainly, upland heather moorland with young forestry plantations and large expanses of open terrain for hunting. There is a unique biological adaptive characteristic of Northern Ireland hen harriers in the use of tree-nests in county Antrim (see Scott et al 1991, 1992) thus with both the use of restock forest habitat and forestry itself this is an incredibly important habitat for this species particularly with the occurrence of tree-nesting.
FOOD
Mainly prey on mammals (particularly rodents) and small ground nesting birds including chicks.
BREEDING
Courtship displays during early April and May. Males perform an undulating display known as Òsky-dancingÓ. Egg laying from late April to early May and hatching from mid May to early July. Clutch sizes range between 3 to 7 eggs.