<< Previous Next >>

Australasian Harrier


Australasian Harrier
Photo Information
Copyright: Pam Russell (coasties) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3815 W: 505 N: 8090] (27700)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-04-09
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 10D, Tamron 28-300XR, Hoya UV 62mm
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2005-04-14 4:05
Viewed: 1246
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Photographed at a wildlife park. It was in a very battle scared state. It had a badly damaged wing and had lost many feathers. Not sure whether it had been attacked or hit by a car. This shot is far from perfect, but it was a rainy day, the enclosure was very dark and I took the photo through the wire on the cage, so I am pleased with the end result under those circumstances.

Australasian Harrier (Circus Approximans)

The Australasian Hawk is a large brown hawk with long fingered wings held in a V, and a long slightly rounded tail. The very dark brown juvenile has a prominent white patch on the back of the head, brown upper tail and brown eye. The adult has a distinctive pale facial disc with head and upperparts dark brown. Underparts are reddish brown streaked dark brown and underwings are barred at the tips. The light brown tail is barred dark brown and the upper tail is white. Males have a yellow eye and the females a pale yellow eye. As they become paler with age some very old males can be seen with frosty-grey upperparts, pale buff underparts and white underwings. Harriers are usually silent except for an occasional whistle but in the breeding season during display flights the male utters a high – pitched ‘kee-a’ to which the female responds with a ‘kee-o’.

Harriers hunt by day by slow quartering the ground followed by a dive attack or by briefly hovering and then dropping vertically to catch their prey in their sharp talons. They eat both carrion (sheep, possums, hedgehogs, waterfowl and other game birds) and live prey, mainly small mammals especially rabbits, hares, hedgehogs, rats, mice, small birds, ducks and eggs, frogs, fish, lizards and large invertebrates such as grasshoppers and crickets.

Breeding is between September and February. The bulky nest of sticks, bracken, manuka, grasses and rushes is usually sited on the ground in raupo swamps, bracken-fern, clumps of pampas or on road verges. Over a period of days 3 – 5 off white eggs are laid and incubated by the female for 31 – 34 days. The eggs hatch over a few days so some eggs and the youngest chick often don’t survive. Although the male gathers food for the female and chicks, only she feeds the chicks. They fledge at 43 – 46 days old and finally disperse about 7 weeks after fledging.

Vital Statistics

Conservation Status: Protected Native
Mainland Status: Widespread and locally common
Size: 55cm, 650g (males) 850g (females)
Life Span: Oldest recorded in NZ: 18 years
Breeding: September - December
Diet: Carrion and live prey

The above obtained from http://www.123.co.nz/

Image Information

Camera: Canon 10D
Time of day: 4:04 p.m.
Date: 9th April 2005
Weather conditions: Raining
Lens: Tamron 28-300mm XR
Filter: Hoya 62mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/45
F-Stop: F/5.6
Focal Length: 281mm
ISO: 400
red45, hummingbird24, sAner, marhowie, TAZ, honza, LordPotty, liquidsunshine, gerhardt, Callie has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Callie: Get down on his levelcoasties 1 04-26 02:34
To cafecrem: Angrycoasties 1 04-14 04:39
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Great portrait Pam!
It looks so angry. Do you think it is because of being a subject of your photo? :-))
Great eyeys.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2005-04-14 5:44]

Yes, angry is good word. Very expressive eyes and pose. Great portrait of beautiful predator Pam!

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1490 W: 72 N: 1427] (4744)
  • [2005-04-14 6:28]

Fantastic portrait Pam! He has got a fierce look in his eyes and you've captured that beautifully. Sharp details, good lightening and well composed. TFS!

Considering all the damage you describe, I might understand not being in the best mood either. Well done, Pam. I like very much the focus on his eyes. Good POV and interesting note. Thank you.

Pam, Great portrait of your Harrier with very good detail, sharpness and just the right POV. I like it and well done!

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2005-04-14 6:56]

Beau et intéressant portrait pour ce superbe oiseau au regard impressionnant. Jolies couleurs et bonne netteté.
Well Done !

  • Great 
  • honza Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 537 W: 0 N: 716] (4191)
  • [2005-04-14 8:51]

Very nice portrait. Good composition, perfect details of eyes, nice colors. Well done.

A great portrait Pam,of this magnificent bird. I've tried in vain to get close enough for a shot of these.
They're always eating squashed possums on the road,but they take off when I try to get near.
Well done.

Very nice shot Pam,
very good results through a wire cage, I wouldn't have known unless you mentioned it.
You've captured the details well, he looks very focused.
I did a WS to sharpen the image a touch.
Thanks for posting

Very nice portrait, good pose and details.
It could be nice to ajust a bit the levels.
Well done.
TFS.

Its a nice close up Pam. We have a similar hurt eagle at the Zoo. Sometimes when I shoot through fences the flash produces a glare that gets picked up by the lens if one is not against the fence. Well done.

Hi Pam
Thanks for this beauty, I love raptors, and this one is ferral - I can read his eyes. Very neat mug shot. I can see you standing in his eyes - get down on his level, this will improve the pov and impact.

Hi Pam, excellent photo. Love the eyes. All these birds of prey have such sharp looking eyes. I think you did well with this photo despite the draw backs. Keep shootin!!

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF