Description:

A large, broad-winged bulky harrier, in most plumages dark with cream-white head. Male has brown mantle and upperwing-coverts contrasting with grey secondaries/inner primaries; female mainly dark brown, except for cream on head and on leading edge of wing. Juvenile may be entirely dark.

Distribution:

Common passage migrant through the central waterways and lakes of Gilgit-Baltistan. Prefers open country in plains and foothills; wet grassy slopes, cultivation, scrub-covered plains, reed-beds, marshes and lakes. From lowlands up to 3500m.

Behavior:

Hunting birds have characteristic low, buoyant flight over marshy vegetation, attempting to surprise prey and then diving on them on ground or in water. Great opportunist, lacks specialization; very wide range of prey, varying with local availability. Prefers small or medium-sized birds, mainly aquatic; also small mammals; to much lesser extent, fish, reptiles, frogs and some invertebrates.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Eurasian Marsh-Harrier in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Eurasian Marsh-Harrier

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.