Circus buffoni
The Long-winged Harrier, *Circus buffoni*, is a striking raptor endemic to South America, known for its elegant, buoyant flight over open landscapes. Measuring 46-60 cm (18-24 inches) in length with a wingspan of 115-155 cm (45-61 inches), it exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males often present in two distinct morphs: a dark morph with sooty black upperparts and rufous underparts, or a more common light morph featuring grayish-black upperparts contrasting sharply with pristine white und...
This harrier primarily inhabits open grasslands, savannas, marshes, and agricultural fields, favoring areas with tall vegetation for nesting. It is found predominantly at low to mid-elevations, though it can occur up to 4,000 meters in some Andean valleys.
The Long-winged Harrier's diet mainly consists of small mammals, such as rodents, and small birds, including nestlings and fledglings. They also prey on reptiles, frogs, and large insects, primarily captured during their characteristic low-level quartering flight.
Long-winged Harriers are diurnal hunters, typically spending their nights roosting communally in dense reed beds or tall vegetation. Their signature foraging strategy involves a slow, buoyant flight pattern, quartering low over the ground with wings held in a shallow 'V', continuously scanning fo...
The Long-winged Harrier is broadly distributed across South America, spanning from Colombia, Venezuela, and the Guianas in the north, south through Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina, reaching as far as Tierra del Fuego. This species is found throughout most of the continent's open...
Least Concern
- The scientific name, *Circus buffoni*, honors the renowned French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon. - Like owls, Long-winged Harriers possess a facial disc of specialized feathers that helps funnel sound to their ears, greatly enhancing their ability to locate prey by sound. - ...