Circus macrourus
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The pallid harrier (Circus macrourus) is a species of harrier, a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It breeds in southern parts of eastern Europe and central Asia and Iran and winters mainly in India and southeast Asia. It is a rare but increasing vagrant to Great Britain and western Europe. In 2017 a pair of pallid harriers nested in a barley field in the Netherlands; they raised four chicks, the first recorded breeding of the species in the country. In 2019, a pair bred in Spain for the first time.
This medium-sized raptor breeds on open plains, bogs and heathland. In winter it is a bird of open country. The scientific name is Ancient Greek. Circus is from kirkos (circle), referring to a bird of prey named for its circling flight ('probably the hen harrier), and macrourus is "long-tailed", from makros (long) and -ouros (-tailed).
This is a typical harrier, with long wings held in a shallow V in its low flight. It also resembles other harriers in having distinct male and female plumages. Adults measure 40–48 cm (16–19 in) long with a wingspan of 95–120 cm (37–47 in). Males weigh 315 g (11.1 oz) while the slightly larger females weigh 445 g... Wikipedia →
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pale Harrier sighting in Periyar National Park on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 197th most-seen of the 227 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pale Harrier in Periyar National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pale Harrier sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
21st of 29
Of the 29 parks where we can rate Pale Harrier sightings, Periyar National Park ranks 21st at under 5%. The best odds are in Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya, about 10%), Bale Mountains National Park (Ethiopia, about 10%) and Serengeti National Park (Tanzania, about 10%).
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the Pale Harrier that you can see in Periyar National Park (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are Crested Serpent Eagle (about 30%), Black Eagle (about 20%) and Oriental Honey-buzzard (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pale Harrier is recorded against all the birds logged in Periyar National Park (15 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
