Liam+Harrier+Hawk

Harrier hawk

Introduction The harrier hawk is one of the most effective predators in New Zealand and im here to tell you all about it!

(the harrier hawk soaring through the air)

Features The harrier hawks feet allow it to grip onto rocks and other stuff in its territory they are also useful for killing and transporting prey, the legs can take hard impacts of landing with force also the bits of the legs that are bare are scales because that birds are thought to have evolved from dinosaurs, the tail helps for ruddering and quick swift complicated movement when chasing prey and also spiralling down for the kill, the harrier hawk has a sort of small head but very good eye vision for spotting ground prey when flying it can it can also cock its head in a way to listen for and spot prey it has a rather sharp curved beak for tearing flesh and make fast kills it is also useful for carrying prey and stuff for the nest ect and hawks have long light feathers so they can fly for long distances with not much effort and their feathers are white black brown and sometimes orange!

Young and nests The nests are three feet in diameter and are made from surrounding vegetation like toetoe, flax, rapo, grain, crops, reeds, bracken and Lucerne. The feamale is a bit larger than the male at 850g and 60cm well the male is 650g and 55cm

(the harrier hawk and its mate with freshly killed prey)

Prey Harriers hunt other small birds like pigeons and also hares, rabbits, rats, mice, lizards, frogs, fish, insects and sometimes rely heavily on carrion and animals that are already dead like roadkill

the harrier hawk preys on other animals like stoats and rabbits

(one of the harrier hawks favourite prey the stoat)

(the harrier hawk with a freshly killed rabbit)