Circus macrosceles
The Malagasy Harrier, *Circus macrosceles*, is a medium-sized raptor endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros, distinguished by its slender build and buoyant flight. Males exhibit striking greyish-blue upperparts, contrasting with white underparts marked by rufous streaking on the belly and flanks, along with prominent black wingtips. Females are notably larger, with brown upperparts and streaky buffy-brown underparts, while juveniles are even darker brown with a rufous wash. Averaging 42-50 cm ...
Found primarily in freshwater marshes, extensive reedbeds, rice paddies, and wet grasslands, from sea level up to approximately 2000m.
Their diet primarily consists of small birds, small mammals (e.g., rodents), amphibians (frogs), reptiles (lizards, snakes), and large insects, captured by pouncing from low-altitude flight.
Malagasy Harriers are diurnal predators, often hunting from early morning until dusk. They forage by quartering low over open wetland habitats, utilizing acute vision and hearing to detect prey, often dropping suddenly onto unsuspecting victims hidden in dense vegetation. Outside the breeding sea...
The Malagasy Harrier is restricted in its distribution, being endemic to the island of Madagascar and the Comoro island of Grande Comore. Within Madagascar, it can be found throughout the island where suitable wetland habitats exist, with concentrations particularly in the central high plateaus a...
Endangered
- The Malagasy Harrier is endemic to just two locations globally: the island of Madagascar and Grande Comore in the Comoros archipelago. - It was once considered a subspecies of the Réunion Harrier (*Circus maillardi*) but was elevated to full species status due to distinct morphological and gene...