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The Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) is a bird found in United States, Canada, Sweden, Denmark and France. Moors, marshes and open fields across Europe, Asia and North America. It eats small mammals and birds, insects and other small invertebrates and reptiles and frogs. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

🏡 Where the Hen harrier lives

Moors, marshes and open fields across Europe, Asia and North America.

🍽️ What it eats

• 🐭 Mammals & birds70%
• 🐛 Insects & bugs10%
• 🦎 Reptiles & frogs10%
• 🦴 Leftovers (carrion)10%

A rough guide to its diet over a year. Source: EltonTraits (Wilman et al. 2014).

Conservation status

Hear the Hen harrier

Recorded by Michel Veldt (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), xeno-canto XC833698. Trimmed to a few seconds.

Questions about the Hen harrier

Where does the Hen harrier live?

The Hen harrier lives in United States, Canada, Sweden, Denmark and France. Moors, marshes and open fields across Europe, Asia and North America.

What does the Hen harrier eat?

small mammals and birds (about 70%), insects and other small invertebrates (about 10%), reptiles and frogs (about 10%), dead animals (carrion) (about 10%). These are rough shares of its diet over a year, from the EltonTraits database.

Is the Hen harrier endangered?

There are plenty of these birds. Its IUCN Red List category is Least Concern.

More birds from North America

• Streaked flycatcher
• Eastern kingbird
• Red-crowned woodpecker
• American redstart
• Indigo bunting
• Northern shoveler

Sources: IUCN Red List (via Wikidata), EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014), GBIF sightings for countries, Wikipedia. Last updated 2026-10-19.