This hawk was once common in Connecticut, particularly along the shoreline, but has become uncommon both because of habitat loss and from the once-common practice of farmers' shooting hawks, considered varmints in agricultural areas in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. According to Connecticut Birds by Joseph Zeranski and Thomas Baptist, Northern Harriers used to nest in Connecticut but it was believed around 10 years ago that they had totally abandoned the state as a place to raise their families.
Most sightings are of migrating birds in late summer or fall.
However, like other hawks, they may be making a come-back in areas that offer the right habitat. Around here, they'd probably continue to be uncommon because they like open fields near water and few good-sized fields are left. Claire has a large, open yard, though, and the river at its edge. Northern Harriers, also called Marsh Hawks, cruise close to the ground in search of rodents, frogs and other small animals - including, one could assume from its name, rabbits. Mystery duck Brother Peter Ahlheim calls from the Holy Cross Friary in the Bronx to report another interesting sighting on Huguenot Pond in lower Westchester County.