WHAT IS A MARSH HAWK?
The Northern harrier, more commonly called the marsh hawk, belongs to the family Accipitridae, along with kites, accipiters, and eagles. The genus and species of the harrier is Circus cyaneus. (See above image) WHAT IS ITS ROLE IN THE GREAT SALT LAKE MARSHES? Harriers of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem receive energy and nutrients necessary for their survival by feeding on certain organisms around the Great Salt Lake. One of the most important food sources for the harrier is the meadow vole, which lives in the grasslands around the lake, and is there year-round. See meadow vole. Small birds are also an important food source for the harrier. The marsh hawk often feeds on migratory birds of the Great Salt Lake. One of the more common of these migratory birds is the Wilson’s Phalarope, which arrives in Utah around mid-June, and leaves late July and into August; thus, providing food for the harrier for these few summer months. Another common migratory bird that provides food for the harrier
