hen harrier

noun

British.

1. northern harrier.

hen harrier

noun

1. US and Canadian names: marsh hawk.  marsh harrier. a common harrier, Circus cyaneus, that flies over fields and marshes and nests in marshes and open land

Word History and Origins

Origin of hen harrier¹

First recorded in 1555–65

Example Sentences

The bog is an important site for biodiversity and is home to the endangered hen harrier.

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Aside from curlew, they pose a threat to a number of native species including the Orkney vole, short-eared owl and hen harrier.

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They include endangered birds like hen harriers and water voles, which are now the UK's fastest declining mammal.

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More than 1,300 protected birds of prey – from hen harriers to golden eagles - have been killed across the UK over the past 15 years, according to the RSPB.

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The charity said eight, satellite-tagged hen harriers had been illegally killed or suspiciously disappeared from the Yorkshire Dales in the last year.

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