| Scientific Name | Circus hudsonius |
| Category | D |
| Taxon | Birds |
| Climate Change Vulnerability Score | Less Vulnerable |
The Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) is a medium-sized hawk (46-50 cm [18-20 in] long; 102-118 cm [40-46.5 in] wingspan) with a long tail and blunt wings. It can be spotted flying low over grasslands and marshes, hunting for small rodents and larger insects in summer and small birds in winter. It breeds across Canada and much of the western US and winters thoughout the US, Mexico, Central America, and into Colombia. The Northern Harrier will experience a high degree of climate exposure and has a high adaptive capacity. Overall, it has a Climate Change Vulnerability Index ranking of Less Vulnerable under both Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and RCP 8.5 Scenarios. The Northern Harrier’s climate change vulnerability is impacted by factors related to movement and demography, which influence its ability to shift in space and persist in place. It also has documented or modeled responses to climate change that impact its vulnerability score.
