Hawks and Eagles (Accipitridae)

African Marsh-harrier (Circus ranivorus) - HBW 2, p. 137

French: Busard grenouillard German: Froschweihe Spanish: Aguilucho Lagunero Etiópico

Taxonomy: Falco ranivorus Daudin, 1800, South Africa.
Forms superspecies with C. aeruginosus, C. maillardi, C. spilonotus and C. approximans; sometimes all considered conspecific, but present species differs from closest ally, C. aeruginosus, in some aspects of plumage and morphology, probably in breeding behaviour and display, and in lack of pronounced sexual dimorphism in plumage. Birds of E & C Africa sometimes placed in separate race, aequatorialis, on grounds of smaller size, but validity very doubtful. Monotypic.

Distribution: Zaire, Uganda and Kenya S to South Africa; ranges NE to Ethiopia and Somalia.