You might think we’ve already met all our birds of prey, but there are more. The birds described here are a little smaller, but just as interesting as the larger ones we’ve already seen.
Now we’ll look at harriers. If we take a walk through open fields, for example, in the northern part of our municipality near the mountains, we might come across a Western Marsh Harrier, Circus aeruginosus, flying low just a few metres above the ground in search of prey. This habit of flying low is a characteristic that can help you identify harriers. They feed on insects and small mammals that they hunt on the ground.
Male Marsh Harriers are very handsome. They are medium-sized, slender birds, with black wing tips, a brown body, and the rest of their plumage is grey and white. Females, on the other hand, are larger with more subdued plumage; dark brown in colour, with lighter heads and shoulders. Of course, there are variations which can be confusing because juveniles change their colours until they acquire their adult plumage. Melanism is also common; this is a genetic mutation that causes the plumage to be completely dark, making it more difficult to identify them.
Photos: Western Marsh Harrier (click to enlarge)
Less commonly seen in this part of the country are Hen Harriers, Circus cyaneus. They’re beautiful birds. The males are grey, with black wing tips and a white underbelly, which you can see when they are flying. The females are entirely brown with a white band at the base of the tail, known as the rump. Like other harriers, they fly over the fields looking for food.
Photos: Hen Harriers (click to enlarge)
In spring and summer, Montagu’s Harriers (Circus pygargus) arrive, though they’ve been hard to spot in recent years. They’re very similar to Hen Harriers but slimmer, with narrower wings. Males have a black longitudinal band on their wings, which can be seen in flight, though it is not easy to spot. Females are also more slender than female Hen Harriers, and have a white stripe on the rump, just like their relatives.
Photos: Montagu’s Harriers
All harriers nest on the ground, often in crop fields, so their nests are frequently destroyed by agricultural work. Some farmers, who are aware of the pest control benefits these birds provide, try to save the nests by leaving the area around them unharvested if they find them in time. If only there were many more farmers who did this!
In winter, in particular, you can spot the Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) even within villages and small towns, chasing flocks of pigeons that roost on roofs. This small bird of prey is bold enough to attack species just as large as itself. It has an elegant build and yellow eyes, a greyish back, and a lighter underside with fine speckles; the females are more reddish in colour than the males. It has rounded wings and a long tail. Its flight is very agile as it pursues other birds. It can be confused with kestrels due to its size.
Photos: Eurasian Sparrowhawk (click to enlarge)
Kestrels are slightly smaller and are also easy to spot in the area.
The Common Kestrel or Eurasion Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, is present year-round. This relative of the falcon is well-known for its ability to hover in flight, flapping its wings slightly against the wind to spot its prey from the air. Females are brick-brown with speckles and have a cream-colored belly. Males have a greyish head and whitish cheeks. You can see a ‘moustache’, which is a dark patch extending downward from the beak like a human moustache, and the black, pointed tips of the wings.
Photos: Common Kestrel
In spring and summer, we also see its relative, the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni). It is slightly smaller and more colourful, especially the males — as is often the case in the bird world. They have plumage with fewer speckles and a bluish hue on the head and part of the wings, with black tips. Their backs are brown, and in flight, their underparts are very light.
They usually nest on the roofs of abandoned houses, in old, remote barns in the countryside, and even in historic buildings, forming colonies. Sometimes special structures are built specifically for them to occupy, and these structures are usually successful in attracting tenants.
During harvest season, it’s common to see a large flock of birds chasing after a tractor that stirs up insects and the occasional rodent in its wake; kestrels are almost always among them.
Photos: Lesser Kestrel (click to enlarge)
We simply must mention a favourite of nearly everyone interested in ornithology: the Black-winged Kite, Elanus caeruleus, also known as the Blue Kite due to its bluish-gray plumage.
With a little luck, you might spot this little beauty in our fields, especially at dusk and dawn as it searches for food. It also has the ability to hover in the air, and when it does, it spreads its wings into a V-shape and holds its tail wide open.
It is not well-known by local people because it only appeared in this area a few decades ago. It originates from Africa and has gradually been expanding its range further north.
It is about the size of a pigeon, with black wing tips, white underbelly, a bluish-gray back, and striking red eyes in adults. There is no sexual dimorphism in this species, ie there is no difference in plumage between males and females. Immature birds have a brownish plumage that they will lose over time.
I’ve met people who travel from far away, including from abroad, to see this beautiful bird, and yet we have it right here on our doorstep. This is a blessing we should appreciate more.
Photos: Black-winged Kite (click to enlarge)
We’ll talk about nocturnal birds of prey another time. Why not venture out into the countryside and, with a little luck, you may be able to identify some of the species we’ve been discussing!
Text: Irene González Sánchez
Photos: José Miguel Millán and the Seo Birdlife guide.
Lagartera, Toledo, May 2026
If you’d like to know more:
Other articles on local birds:
Birds and other wildlife – Temas Lagarteranos
The raptors featured here: