Black Harrier

Circus maurus (Temminck, 1828)

Accipitridae — Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Black Harrier, Circus maurus, breeds in Namibia and South Africa and is an African harrier of the family Accipitridae. It is linked to coastal plains and, in South Africa, also to more upland breeding sites where lowland habitat has been altered. The bird is notable for looking entirely black when perched, while in flight a white rump and pale flight feathers show. It nests on the ground in tall vegetation, usually in loose colonies near coastal wetlands in the Western Cape. Breeding in Namibia is suspected but not confirmed.

Order
Accipitriformes
Family
Accipitridae — Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Breeding range
Africa: Namibia and South Africa
Black Harrier
© Stephen Temple from Cape Town, South Africa · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

8 tours in South Africa

Western South Africa Endemics with Lawson's Safaris
Western South Africa Endemics with Lawson's Safaris
South Africa / Upington Group tour 13 days

Trace western South Africa’s endemic birds for 13 days from Upington and Augrabies through Namaqualand, the Karoo, Cape coast and Garden R...

From ZAR 79,700 Next: Oct 31, 2026
Western Cape Highlights Birding with Lawson's Safaris
Western Cape Highlights Birding with Lawson's Safaris
South Africa / Cape Town Group tour 10 days

Discover Western Cape birds over 10 days, combining Cape Peninsula fynbos, penguin colonies, West Coast wetlands and the Overberg with food ...

From ZAR 55,890 Next: Oct 13, 2026
Private West Coast National Park Birding Day Tour
Private West Coast National Park Birding Day Tour
South Africa / Cape Town 1 day

A private full-day journey from Cape Town to West Coast National Park for Black Harrier, Karoo birds and thousands of seasonal lagoon waders...

4-Day West Coast Bird and Flower Tour
4-Day West Coast Bird and Flower Tour
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 4 days

Pair spring wildflowers with West Coast and Karoo birding on a four-day route through Langebaan, Vanrhynsdorp, Nieuwoudtville and Calvinia....

2-Day West Coast Birding Tour
2-Day West Coast Birding Tour
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 2 days

Explore the Western Cape coast over two days, from Darling farmland and Geelbek shorebirds to a Berg River boat trip and Velddrif wetlands....

10-Day Western Cape Birding Tour
10-Day Western Cape Birding Tour
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 10 days

A private or small-group Western Cape birding itinerary from Cape Town through the Cape Peninsula, West Coast, Tankwa Karoo, Agulhas Plain, ...

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 3-Day Agulhas Plains Birding Trip with Birding Ecotours
Private 3-Day Agulhas Plains Birding Trip with Birding Ecotours
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 3 days

A private three-day journey from Cape Town across mountain fynbos and the Overberg to De Hoop, built around cranes, bustards, larks and regi...

From ZAR 17,920