Identification
Broad wings, a long tail and a low, buoyant hunting flight help identify this wetland raptor. Plumage differs with age and sex.
When to look
Breeding and passage birds occur in Romania; seasonal movements respond to weather and food.
Where to look
Reedbeds, marshes and nearby open ground provide nesting cover and hunting space.
Behaviour and ecology
Food and nutrition
It hunts small birds, mammals and other prey over wetland vegetation.
Breeding and life cycle
The nest is concealed within dense marsh vegetation. Observe well away from nesting areas.
A closer look
Its slow quartering flight lets it search a wide strip of ground.
Global conservation assessment
LC · Least Concern · Assessment year: 2021
Global category recorded from the linked assessment; it does not describe local abundance. Least Concern does not mean absence of threats.
View the source assessment ↗Observation and photography
Watch from an established route. Track the flight without approaching roosts or nests.
Sources and further reading
Keep a distance that allows birds to feed and rest normally. Do not enter colonies, approach nests, flush roosts or use playback for photographs. Never publish precise nest locations of sensitive species. Follow reserve rules and your guide's advice.