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Northern Harrier

Circus hudsonius

Bird · family Accipitridae · order Accipitriformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
50 states[3]
Oldest known wild bird
15 years[4]

The Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) is a bird in the hawk family Accipitridae[5]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act, and NatureServe gives it a global rank of G5, which means Secure[1][2].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the Northern Harrier G5 (Secure) worldwide[2]. In the United States its national rank is N5B,N5N, which means Secure for breeding birds and Secure for nonbreeding birds[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30 show it is not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1]. It is on the federal list of birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding))
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8] Protected
CITES (international trade)[9] Appendix II

Where Northern Harrier lives

NatureServe lists the Northern Harrier as native in 50 US states and territories, including the District of Columbia[3]. That covers Alaska, California, Texas, New York, Florida and many more[3]. NatureServe also gives each state its own rank, and those ranks differ from state to state[10].Lists like this show where NatureServe records the bird, so they do not promise you will see one there[3].

Alaska: native, state rank S4BAKMaine: native, state rank S4BMEWisconsin: native, state rank S3BWIVermont: native, state rank S3BVTNew Hampshire: native, state rank S1BNHWashington: native, state rank S3B,S3NWAIdaho: native, state rank S4IDMontana: native, state rank S4BMTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRB,SNRNNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRB,SNRNMNIllinois: native, state rank S2ILMichigan: native, state rank S4MINew York: native, state rank S3B,S3NNYMassachusetts: native, state rank S2B,S4NMAOregon: native, state rank S4ORNevada: native, state rank S4NVWyoming: native, state rank S4B,S5NWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S5BSDIowa: native, state rank S2B,S4NIAIndiana: native, state rank S2INOhio: native, state rank S2OHPennsylvania: native, state rank S2B,S3MPANew Jersey: native, state rank S1B,S3NNJConnecticut: native, state rank S1BCTRhode Island: native, state rank S1B,S3NRICalifornia: native, state rank S3CAUtah: native, state rank S4B,S3NUTColorado: native, state rank S3BCONebraska: native, state rank S4NEMissouri: native, state rank S2MOKentucky: native, state rank S1B,S4NKYWest Virginia: native, state rank S1B,S3NWVVirginia: native, state rank S1B,S3NVAMaryland: native, state rank S2BMDDelaware: native, state rank S1B,S4NDEArizona: native, state rank S1B,S5NAZNew Mexico: native, state rank S2B,S4NNMKansas: native, state rank S2B,S4NKSArkansas: native, state rank S1B,S4NARTennessee: native, state rank S4NTNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S1B,S4NNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S4SCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S2NDCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5NLAMississippi: native, state rank S4NMSAlabama: native, state rank S3NALGeorgia: native, state rank S4GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S2B,S3NTXFlorida: native, state rank SNRNFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[10].
Show state ranks (50 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS3NVulnerable (nonbreeding)
AlaskaS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
ArizonaS1B,S5NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)
ArkansasS1B,S4NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
CaliforniaS3Vulnerable
ColoradoS3BVulnerable (breeding)
ConnecticutS1BCritically Imperiled (breeding)
DelawareS1B,S4NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
District of ColumbiaS2NImperiled (nonbreeding)
FloridaSNRNNot Ranked (nonbreeding)
GeorgiaS4Apparently Secure
IdahoS4Apparently Secure
IllinoisS2Imperiled
IndianaS2Imperiled
IowaS2B,S4NImperiled (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
KansasS2B,S4NImperiled (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
KentuckyS1B,S4NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
LouisianaS5NSecure (nonbreeding)
MaineS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
MarylandS2BImperiled (breeding)
MassachusettsS2B,S4NImperiled (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
MichiganS4Apparently Secure
MinnesotaSNRB,SNRNNot Ranked (breeding), Not Ranked (nonbreeding)
MississippiS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
MissouriS2Imperiled
MontanaS4BApparently Secure (breeding)
NebraskaS4Apparently Secure
NevadaS4Apparently Secure
New HampshireS1BCritically Imperiled (breeding)
New JerseyS1B,S3NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
New MexicoS2B,S4NImperiled (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
New YorkS3B,S3NVulnerable (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
North CarolinaS1B,S4NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Apparently Secure (nonbreeding)
North DakotaSNRB,SNRNNot Ranked (breeding), Not Ranked (nonbreeding)
OhioS2Imperiled
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
OregonS4Apparently Secure
PennsylvaniaS2B,S3MImperiled (breeding), Vulnerable (migrant)
Rhode IslandS1B,S3NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
South CarolinaS4Apparently Secure
South DakotaS5BSecure (breeding)
TennesseeS4NApparently Secure (nonbreeding)
TexasS2B,S3NImperiled (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
UtahS4B,S3NApparently Secure (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
VermontS3BVulnerable (breeding)
VirginiaS1B,S3NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
WashingtonS3B,S3NVulnerable (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
West VirginiaS1B,S3NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Vulnerable (nonbreeding)
WisconsinS3BVulnerable (breeding)
WyomingS4B,S5NApparently Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)

Lifespan

The oldest known wild Northern Harrier from US and Canadian bird banding records was at least 15 years 4 months old[4]. That is a record for the longest known life, not a typical lifespan[4].

Trait Value
Oldest known wild bird (banding)[4] 15 years 4 months

When to look for it

People report Northern Harriers in the United States all year, but most records on GBIF fall in January, November and December[11]. The fewest records come in June and July[11]. These counts show when people look and report, not how many birds there are[11].

January: 396,774 recordsJanFebruary: 294,477 recordsFebMarch: 302,346 recordsMarApril: 285,793 recordsAprMay: 155,662 recordsMayJune: 71,033 recordsJunJuly: 55,327 recordsJulAugust: 92,896 recordsAugSeptember: 192,113 recordsSepOctober: 301,364 recordsOctNovember: 336,110 recordsNovDecember: 338,117 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[11].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January396,774
February294,477
March302,346
April285,793
May155,662
June71,033
July55,327
August92,896
September192,113
October301,364
November336,110
December338,117

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Northern Harrier as present in 18 park units[12]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, Texas, Washington, Oregon, Florida[13]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Northern Harrier endangered?
No. USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30 show it is not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which means Secure[2].
Where does the Northern Harrier live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 50 US states and territories, including the District of Columbia[3]. Observers in California, Texas, Washington, Oregon and Florida file the most GBIF records, which follows observer effort more than bird numbers[13].
How long does a Northern Harrier live?
The oldest known wild Northern Harrier was at least 15 years 4 months old, based on banding records[4]. That is the longest recorded age, not a typical lifespan[4].
When can you see a Northern Harrier?
Most GBIF records in the United States fall in January, November and December[11]. Records reflect when people look and report, not how many animals there are[11].

Facts and sources

  1. Northern Harrier is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Northern Harrier: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Northern Harrier as native in 50 US states and territories: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Oldest known wild Northern Harrier from US and Canadian bird banding records: at least 15 years 4 months old (USGS Bird Banding Laboratory). USGS Bird Banding Lab
  5. Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) is a bird in the family Accipitridae, order Accipitriformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5B,N5N (Secure (breeding), Secure (nonbreeding)). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. Northern Harrier is on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (50 CFR 10.13). eCFR, 50 CFR 10.13
  9. CITES listing recorded by NatureServe: Appendix II (controls on international trade). NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Northern Harrier (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. GBIF observation records of Northern Harrier in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  12. NPSpecies park lists recording Northern Harrier as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  13. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Northern Harrier: California, Texas, Washington, Oregon, Florida. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.