: Breeds. to early Apr-mid Jul with pairs detected recently in Northeast Creek and Bass Harbor Marsh but breeding possible in any sizable marsh, bog or meadow complex.
: mid Mar-early Jun with from late Feb, and to late Aug-mid Nov with a peak late Sep-mid Oct and from early Aug and to mid Dec. The Cadillac Mountain Hawkwatch is a good place to see southbound migrants.
: to late Dec-mid Feb.
Miscellany: Northern Harriers have one of the longest migration periods with the first ones in spring, usually gray adult males, sometimes detected in Feb and the last, the previous year's young, in early Jun. Fall movements are equally long running, from early Aug to early Dec. Brown plumaged harriers seen Jan-Mar are either very late southbound migrants or over wintering.
Northern Harriers are unique among our hawks in hunting both by sight and sound as they fly low over marshes and meadows. They join Osprey and Peregrine Falcon as the only North American raptors routinely engaging in long over water migrations.
Last Updated: June 4th, 2022