Western Marsh Harrier

Gangly raptor with long wings and tail; local in marshes and wetlands with extensive reed beds. Mainly seen in flight, quartering fairly low over marshes, with wings raised in shallow V. Commonest plumage dark brown overall with variable creamy cap, throat, and narrow leading edge to wing. Brightest adult males have tricolored upperwings, grayish tail, pale head and breast contrasting with rusty-brown belly. Extremely similar to closely related Eastern Marsh-Harrier; males of that species are darker-headed and browner-chested, and females are warmer brown and streakier on the chest, without Eurasian's discrete white 'cap' and dark line through the eye.

In Sri Lanka, the Western Marsh Harrier primarily inhabits coastal wetland areas, particularly marshes, reedbeds, and lagoons, with a strong preference for dense vegetation near water bodies, like the Muthurajawela Wetlands, where they can hunt for prey like small mammals, reptiles, frogs, and even fish; essentially, any lowland areas with extensive marshy vegetation are considered suitable habitat for this species.

In Sri Lanka, the Western Marsh Harrier primarily feeds on small mammals, particularly rodents like mice, lizards, and occasionally small birds, with lizards being considered the most prevalent prey item based on observations in the region; they often hunt in open grasslands and paddy fields where these prey species are abundant.