Marsh Harrier

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..

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...

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.

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

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

Cheers,
Sabyasachi