Marsh Harrier

[Mrudul Godbole]

Circus aeruginosus. Harriers are slow fliers and have the ability to remain airborne at speeds of less than 32 km/h (20 mph). Flying at such slow speeds makes it easier for them to detect prey. Frogs make up a large component of the marsh harrier's diet, but they also feed on small mammals, reptiles, insects, eggs and nestlings. Marsh harriers are not very vocal, but when alarmed, they have a chattering kekekeke call.

Photographed this at Hasserghatta last weekend. It was quite a brief sighting, and it was a bit far off.

Canon 50D, 100-400mm L IS USM, ISO 200, f5.6, 1/400, hand held.

Comments and critiques welcome..

[Bibhav Behera]

Nice eye contact. One side of the pupil seems more dilated. Are birds capable of independent pupil dilations? Humans can adjust their pupils only together. Expert intervention requested...

[Praveen Siddannavar]

Nice image under the conditions mentioned, good that you have got direct eye contact. When we visited Hasserghatta we did sight a Harrier but it was greyish in color.

[Bibhav Behera]

@ Praveen: That could have been a Montagu's Harrier... (The Grey One)

[Sabyasachi Patra]

I like the intense looks. The vegetation forms kind of a diagonal in the frame. I guess this is a female.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi