effective. Their habitat also includes savanna, marshes and wetlands of South America. Behavior and ecology Food and feeding As all of the extended members of the family Accipitridae, the long-winged harrier is carnivorous, feeding on a large variety of animals due to its widespread distribution. Their diet includes small mammals (such as cavies), amphibians (such as frogs), reptiles (such as lizards) and birds (such as crakes and young coots), with birds consisting the majority of their food intake. It will also feed on bird eggs, varying from taking the whole ball-nests of water-tyrants to raiding heronries. Its hunting strategy differs vastly from other hawks sharing the same habitat such as the roadside hawk (Rupornis magnirostris). Instead of opting for a passive hunting strategy consisting of the use of high perches to locate their prey, the long-winged harrier will fly slowly in large circles above its range in order to find its prey, using its keen vision and hearing. Breeding The long-winged harrier nests on the ground, building its nest between September and October in the grasslands of its habitat. The nests are usually made out of rushes and grass, and are built no more than 3 meters up the ground and no less than 1 meter away from bodies of water. Their breeding season can vary vastly across their range, but it will usually take place in the summer months (September to January). During their reproduction cycle, the nests will usually hold between 3 and 4 eggs per clutch. Conservation Although the species population has been found to be declining, the extended range of the long-winged harrier allows it to be classified as a species of 'least concern' by the IUCN Red List. Their population decline has been attributed to the degradation of its habitat, most notably wetlands, due to drainage, pollution, and other human-caused circumstances. No conservation efforts are currently in action concerning the long-winged harrier as an individual species, but their range occurs in a wide variety of conservation sites and protected areas. References External links eBird Range and other media, including vocalization Peruaves.org Long-winged harrier (Circus buffoni) long-winged harrier Birds of Colombia Birds of Venezuela Birds of Trinidad and Tobago Birds of the Guianas Birds of Brazil Birds of Paraguay Birds of Argentina Birds of prey of South America long-winged harrier long-winged harrier Taxonomy articles created by Polbot