The Lincolnshire Bird Club

A few days ago I was informed by one of my Bird Group members that he had seen a female marsh harrier, at Far Ings, catch a fish successfully. He is certain it was a carp (ex fisherman), it was certainly large on the photograph that he posted on the friends of Far Ings Facebook site.

A day before I saw a buzzard rise from the reed channel with an adult sized young coot, it's head missing, so it has been a time of the more unusual hunting methods maybe. Yesterday I saw 5 herons rise from the same reedbed, there must be good fish levels.

Has anyone seen a harrier catch fish before?

Marsh Harriers are great at exploiting any feeding opportunity near water and certainly pick up a lot of carrion and I would suspect that a carp may well have been such an opportunist pick up if it was floating on the surface or in the reed edge but not sure they would grasp a live one? did the observer see if it was still wriggling? I saw a male dive into a ditch on the Humber bank this spring and come out with a frog in one foot and wintering birds frequently feast on dead geese and gulls left out on the Humber around Whitton Sand and Read's Island

BWPi gives a few details:


Based on outline supplied by W J A Schipper.

Chiefly ground and marsh animals, in variety of species and sizes depending on local circumstances; more easily caught prey usually predominates. Normally quarters flat areas (i.e. flies to and fro over short distances) in low flight (mostly 2–6 m above ground) using ground vegetation and habitat edges (e.g. ditches, grass verges by roads) to surprise prey; less frequently flies definite transects. Hunting speed normally c. 30 km per hr, sometimes slower, occasionally faster (Schipper et al. 1975; Schipper 1977). Once prey located, drops with claws held out. Frequently reacts to sight or anticipation of prey by sudden check in flight, sometimes almost turning over before plunging vertically with legs outstretched (Brown and Amadon 1968; Schipper et al. 1975). If capture fails, attack seldom repeated and pursuit of prey observed in only 44% of attempts (Schipper 1977). May interrupt hunting flight (or follow stoop or pursuit) with search by passive hovering (especially in strong winds), or by settling on ground or occasionally on low perch (Schipper 1977). Ground hunting noted by Clegg (Clegg 1961), King (King 1961), and Schipper et al. (Schipper et al. 1975). Occasionally attempts to capture prey on open water (Schipper 1977). On several occasions observing robbing Hen Harrier C. cyaneus of prey (Schipper 1977).

Prey chiefly small mammals (especially rodents) and birds (including adults, particularly sitting fem, nestlings, and eggs), but also includes carrion and sick and wounded animals. Other items, usually only of local or incidental importance, include insects, frogs, snakes, and fish—for details see Uttendörfer 1939, Uttendörfer 1952, Witherby et al. 1939, Dementiev and Gladkov 1951a, and Glutz von Blotzheim et al. 1971.

Some prey differences between sexes: in Flevoland, songbirds and voles taken only by male; fem took more young pheasants. In Camargue, snakes and songbirds taken only by male, whereas fem took more waterbirds. In Netherlands and France, prey weight ranges c. 10–675 g (male) and c. 20–675 g (fem). Larger prey recorded in literature probably mostly sick, disabled, or carrion (Schipper 1973). fem sometimes hunts at higher altitudes than male (Schipper 1977).

In breeding season, birds of both marsh and open water—ducks (Anatidae) and rails (Rallidae) especially frequent in diets in several areas: Netherlands (Kate 1930; Schipper 1973); Germany, Hungary, and France (Uttendörfer 1939, Uttendörfer 1952); Germany (Sach 1967); France (Weber 1966; Schipper 1973); Finland (Hildén and Kalinainen 1966); Switzerland (Blanc and Manuel 1956); Belgium (Verbruggen 1968); Spain (Valverde 1960b); USSR (Dementiev and Gladkov 1951a; Osmolovskaya 1953). Many young taken from colonies of Black-headed Gulls Larus ridibundus (Haverschmidt 1940; Schipper 1973). Songbirds, usually young, taken more often in Finland (Hildén and Kalinainen 1966), Latvia (Kasparsons 1960), northern France (Schipper 1973), and Germany (Uttendörfer 1952). Young Pheasants Phasianus colchicus important in Norfolk, England (Hosking 1943) and Flevoland, Netherlands (Schipper 1973). Voles, especially common vole Microtus arvalis, sometimes predominate: e.g. studies in Netherlands (Bakker 1955); France (Thiollay 1967); Finland (Hildén and Kalinainen 1966); Germany, Hungary, and France (Uttendörfer 1939, Uttendörfer 1952); Poland (Pinowski 1961)—but considered efficient prey (in terms of energy used during capture) only when superabundant (Schipper 1973). Ground vole Arvicola terrestris frequently taken in Latvia; 26.5% of 407 items brought to nest; mainly by males (Kasparsons 1960). Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus important in Camargue (Schipper 1973), Norfolk (Hosking 1943), and in several parts Netherlands (Rooth 1956, Rooth 1963; Schipper 1973). Eggs of larger ground birds, and carrion regularly recorded (Bittera 1914; Kate 1930; Uttendörfer 1939, Uttendörfer 1952; Dementiev and Gladkov 1951a; Osmolovskaya 1953; Blanc and Manuel 1956; Valverde 1960b; Martens 1964; Thiollay 1967a; Schipper 1973). Snakes (especially Natrix natrix and N. maura), large insects, fish, and frogs locally important or incidental (Kate 1930; Bakker 1955; Glutz von Blotzheim et al. 1971; Schipper 1973).

Outside breeding season, data scarce. In summer, Flevoland, after fledging of young, carrion, and voles in harvested fields frequently taken (W J A Schipper). In Kazakhstan (USSR), near breeding areas, moulting and young waterfowl; when dispersed over steppes, mainly voles (Osmolovskaya 1953). In winter, Camargue (214 pellets at communal roost in December), mainly aquatic and marsh animals, especially birds and particularly Anatidae; observations showed chiefly sick and disabled individuals and carrion (Schipper 1973). From pellets and prey remains, December, Ebro delta (Spain), winter food included mainly aquatic and marsh animals, especially fish, rodents, frogs, and Anatidae (Thiollay 1968a). In Italy (37 stomachs, December–April) again mainly aquatic animals, including fish, frogs, Anatidae, and Rallidae (Moltoni 1937, Moltoni 1948). In Noordoostpolder (Netherlands) fed only on voles M. arvalis, c. 5–6 per day (Bakker 1955). From Talysh (USSR), prey included carrion, wounded birds, various waterbirds, small rodents, and fish; in south-west Turkmeniya mainly waterfowl, small rodents, lizards, and fish (Dementiev and Gladkov 1951a). In Hungary, chiefly M. arvalis (Uttendörfer 1939). Almost no data from African winter quarters: Chapin (Chapin 1932) recorded lizards Varanus and birds' eggs.

Thanks Graham, I have only just noticed yourreply after being away. The observer did not mention any wriggling by the fish and I have since talked to him and we also concluded that it was probably a carrion item and by-product of some other incident.

During the cold winter a few years ago I watched a bittern attempt to swallow a large, deep bodied fish on the reed bank of Ness Pit. I watched for over 20 minutes as it gradually lost energy and increased it's resting between head cocking etc. It eventually left this large fish on the bank to the benefit of some other creature I'm sure. I wonder if this harrier fish was a failed conquest by something too.