Swamp Harrier
Swamp HarrierSwamp Harrier

Swamp Harrier

Circus approximans

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Rakiura National Park
104 Verified records at Rakiura National Park
June Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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. The subfamily and genus are derived from the characteristic behaviour of circling flight during courtship and hawking. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Swamp Harrier sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 104 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
5–10
Feb
<5
Mar
5–10
Apr
10–20
May
10–20
Jun
10–20
Jul
<5
Aug
5–10
Sep
5–10
Oct
10–20
Nov
5–10
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
30–40%
2 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
20–30%
3 Tongariro National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
20–30%
4 Arthur's Pass National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
20–30%
5 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
10–20%
6 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
7 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
8 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
5–10%
9 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
10 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
11 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
12 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
13 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
14 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
15 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
16 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
17 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
18 Lorentz National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
19 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
20 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
21 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
22 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Swamp Harrier in Rakiura National Park?

About 7% of wildlife watchers report a Swamp Harrier sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 104 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Swamp Harrier in Rakiura National Park?

June has the highest sighting rate for Swamp Harrier in Rakiura National Park in our monthly data.

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