The Northern Harrier is a slender, medium-sized raptor found in Arizona primarily during the winter months, though some individuals may be seen during migration or even summer in suitable habitat. Easily recognized by its long wings, long tail, and low, buoyant flight over open fields and marshes, it often holds its wings in a distinctive V-shape while gliding. Males are gray above with white underparts, while females and immatures are brown, all with a conspicuous white rump patch. This species hunts mainly by sight and sound, coursing low over grasslands, agricultural areas, and wetlands in search of small mammals and birds. In Arizona, Northern Harriers occur widely in lowland valleys, grasslands, and marsh edges from fall through spring, with concentrations in areas such as agricultural fields in the Sulphur Springs Valley and wetlands like those at Whitewater Draw. Breeding in the state is rare and typically limited to remote marshes.
