Marsh Harrier

The Marsh Harrier is the largest type of harrier found in Britain. It can be recognised by its broad wings, which it holds in a shallow V shape when it flies low over reedbeds in a searching pattern. Male birds have chocolate-brown feathers with grey patches on their wings and tail. Female and young birds are mostly dark brown with creamy-yellow heads and shoulders. Unlike other harriers, this bird is more closely linked to wetland areas all year round. The Marsh Harrier is found widely across Europe and Asia. In Britain, it breeds in local areas, mainly in eastern and southern England, with the largest numbers in East Anglia. This bird lives only in large wetland areas, preferring reedbeds, marshes, and flooded gravel pits. It hunts small animals such as mammals, birds, and sometimes amphibians. In the 1970s, the Marsh Harrier almost disappeared from Britain, but its numbers have since increased a lot. However, it still relies heavily on the protection and care of large wetland areas to survive.