African Marsh Harrier

Circus ranivorus (Daudin, 1800)

Accipitridae — Kites, Hawks, Eagles

African Marsh Harrier, Circus ranivorus, breeds in Africa from South Sudan and Kenya south to South Africa. It is a harrier in the Accipitridae family and is associated with marshes and reedbeds, especially in eastern and southern parts of its range. It is a resident bird in wetland areas and also uses open grassland and cultivated land close to water. A key feature is the lack of a white rump, which separates it from similar harriers. It was described by Daudin in 1800.

Order
Accipitriformes
Family
Accipitridae — Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Breeding range
Africa: South Sudan and Kenya to South Africa
African Marsh Harrier
© Malcolm Macgregor · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

12 tours in Uganda 4, Kenya 3, South Africa 3, Tanzania 1, Namibia 1

16 Days Uganda Birding and Wildlife Photography Tour
16 Days Uganda Birding and Wildlife Photography Tour
Uganda / Entebbe Private tour 16 days

Fixed-date Uganda birding and wildlife photography tour with Shoebill, Murchison Falls, Budongo, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Lake Mb...

From USD 5,492 Next: Sep 4, 2027
15-Day Uganda Birding Tour 2027
15-Day Uganda Birding Tour 2027
Uganda / Entebbe Group tour 15 days

A 15-day Uganda birding circuit from Entebbe through Mabamba Swamp, Lake Mburo, Mgahinga, Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, Kibale and Semliki for Sh...

From USD 4,685
8-Day Uganda Birding, Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tracking
8-Day Uganda Birding, Gorilla and Chimpanzee Tracking
Uganda / Entebbe Private tour 8 days

Eight private days combine Mabamba Shoebill birding with Kibale chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth wildlife and a permit-dependent Bwindi gorilla ...

14 Days Uganda Birding and Wildlife Photography Safari
14 Days Uganda Birding and Wildlife Photography Safari
Uganda / Entebbe Private tour 14 days

Uganda western circuit birding and wildlife photography route with Mabamba, Budongo, Kibale, Semuliki, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Lake Mbur...

From USD 4,880
10-Day Tanzania Birding Safari with Wings Explorers Tours
10-Day Tanzania Birding Safari with Wings Explorers Tours
Tanzania / Arusha Private tour 10 days

A high-density 10-day birding program through the Arusha foothills, Maasai Steppe, Tarangire, Ngorongoro and the central Serengeti, combinin...

Bird Watching at Impala Park and Dunga Boardwalk
Bird Watching at Impala Park and Dunga Boardwalk
Kenya / Kisumu Group tour 1 day

A Kisumu day trip combining Impala Park Sanctuary, Lake Victoria waterfront, Dunga Community Boardwalk and papyrus birding....

From USD 436
Kisumu and Lake Victoria Birding Day Trip
Kisumu and Lake Victoria Birding Day Trip
Kenya / Kisumu Group tour 1 day

A Lake Victoria birding day trip from Kisumu focused on papyrus, swamp, lakeshore, farmland and Impala Park birds....

From USD 436
Kenya Bird Watching Safari with Oluokos Signature
Kenya Bird Watching Safari with Oluokos Signature
Kenya / Nairobi Custom tour 14 days

A 14-day Kenya birdwatching safari linking Nairobi, Rift Valley lakes, Kakamega Forest, Western Kenya, Lake Victoria and the Maasai Mara....

From USD 14,229
Private West Coast Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
Private West Coast Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 1 day

A private full-day circuit from Cape Town through Darling and the West Coast National Park for larks, korhaans, raptors, shorebirds and coas...

From ZAR 7,000
Private Cape Peninsula Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
Private Cape Peninsula Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 1 day

A flexible private day from Cape Town combining Kirstenbosch, peninsula wetlands and an African Penguin colony, with Cape endemics and coast...

From ZAR 7,000
Private Cape Mountains and Fynbos Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
Private Cape Mountains and Fynbos Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 1 day

A private full-day route from Cape Town to Rooi Els, Betty's Bay and the fynbos coast, focused on Cape endemics, African Penguins and wetlan...

From ZAR 7,000
Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls with Birding Ecotours
Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls with Birding Ecotours
Namibia / Walvis Bay Group tour 18 days

An 18-day birding expedition from Namibia's Atlantic coast through Etosha and the Okavango Panhandle to Victoria Falls, combining desert nea...

From USD 10,206