Northern Harrier
Northern Harrier has held roughly steady: up 9% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Northern Harrier
The Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) is a North American member of the Hawks, Eagles & Kites (Accipitridae). In this analysis it is grouped with the birds of prey.
- Size
- 17.5–39.5 in long (45–100 cm) — a medium to large raptor (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Open country, woodlands, cliffs and wetlands, hunting from the air or a high perch.
- Diet
- Live prey — small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and large insects (carrion for vultures).
- Range
- Recorded on 1,635 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 45 states, most concentrated in the Great Basin.
- Family
- Accipitridae · Birds of prey
Notable Northern Harrier TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →
No notable trend signals for Northern Harrier. See the full index history below.
Northern Harrier Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Northern Harrier is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.21 (95% range 0.12–0.30). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±49.5%, with 60% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
Where the Northern Harrier Is Detected
BBS routes recording Northern Harrier, sized by most recent count.
Northern Harrier Population Trend by State
Northern Harrier Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
Northern Harrier Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 9% since 1968.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.