Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks
Swamp Harrier
Circus approximans
- Family
- Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks (Accipitridae)
- Order
- Accipitriformes
Overview
The swamp harrier (Circus approximans), also known as the Australasian marsh harrier or Australasian harrier, is a large, slim bird of prey widely distributed across Australasia. In New Zealand, it is also known by the Māori name kāhu. It arrived in New Zealand within the last 700 years, replacing the larger species, the extinct New Zealand endemic Eyles's harrier.
The swamp harrier belongs to the subfamily Circinae and genus Circus, which are represented worldwide, except Antarctica.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds Australia (except south-central), North, South, Stewart, and Chatham islands (New Zealand), Vanuatu, New Caledonia including Loyalty Islands, to Fiji and Tonga; non-breeders range to Trans-Fly (south-central New Guinea) and Kermadec Islands (northeast of New Zealand).
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Swamp harrier
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
