THE HEN-HARRIER, 



157 



(above), male (below) in flight. 



{From a diagrammatic sketch by 



H. M. Wallis.) 



Field-characters. — Resembles Montagu's Harrier, but slightly- 

 larger, under -parts of blue-grey male not streaked, and black bar on 

 secondaries lacking ; in female tail- 

 bars are rather more pronounced. Best 

 distinction, which obtains in both 

 sexes, is conspicuous pure white, not 

 grey, rump. Feeble cry is akin to 

 that of last species, a rapid, quacking 

 chatter, " quek-ek-ek-ek-ek, " which, 

 according to Walpole Bond, differs 

 slightly in the sexes. 



Breeding-habits . — Haunts heaths , 

 commons, and moorlands, and on 

 Continent breeds in cornfields among 



growing Crops. Nest.— A hollow The Hen-Harrier 



among rushes and heather, lined 

 with a thick pad of dead rushes, 

 and a few heather twigs arranged 

 round it. Eggs. — Usually 5 or 6, occasionally only 4, or 7 in Scot- 

 land and sets of 8 have been recorded, but probably in most cases 

 through gradual removing of eggs. Pale bluish-white, generally un- 

 marked, but sometimes spotted rusty-brown or with bold dark red- 

 brown streaks and spots. Average of 100 British eggs, 46.2x36.1. 

 Max. : 52.1x38 and 49.5x40. Min : 40x32. Breeding-season. — 

 From about mid-May in Orkneys, as a rule ; occasionally early in 

 month. In central Europe eggs may be found in April and in 

 Scandinavia in June. Incubation. — Begins apparently with second 

 egg and is performed by female. Period not less than four weeks. 

 Single brooded. 



Food. — Chiefly birds and mammals taken by surprise on ground. 

 Mice, voles, water-voles, rats and young rabbits ; among birds an 

 occasional duck, Golden Plover, young Lapwing, Snipe, Dunlin, 

 Grouse or Partridge, but usually Meadow-Pipits, Sky-Larks, 

 Finches, and less frequently Blackbird or Ring-Ouzel. Lizards, 

 slow -worms, frogs, etc., are also taken. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident and winter-visitor. As 

 breeder now practically confined to Orkneys, O. Hebrides and some 

 mountain districts of Ireland. In England and Wales has nested 

 in last twenty years Cornwall, Hants., and Carnarvon, and possibly 

 Devon, but otherwise only a winter- visit or and autumn and spring 

 migrant. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — North and central Europe to north 

 Spain, north Italy, north Asia, in winter in north India, Burma, 

 Japan and China, and Africa as far as the Sahara, Nubia and, 

 apparently, Abyssinia. 



