Harrier Design

The name “harrier” comes from a word that means to pillage or rob. So why are several species of hawks known as harriers? The northern harrier (Circus hudsonius) is a hawk species with a harrier design.

Northern harriers breed in Canada and the northern United States and migrate to Mexico and Central America during the winter. Their ability to “pillage or rob” comes from their long wings and tails, allowing them to fly slowly and quietly close to the ground to snatch their unsuspecting prey. They have the longest wing and tail length relative to the body size of any North American bird of prey (raptor). 

Northern harriers hold their long wings in a “V” shape as they closely circle the contours of the land, ready to capture small mammals such as mice, rats, ground squirrels, and voles. Sometimes, they catch frogs or small birds. They have excellent hearing and use that to locate their prey. Farmers sometimes call these birds “good hawks” because they eliminate rodents that destroy crops and don’t bother poultry as other hawks do. 

You can see the “V” shape of the wings of a harrier hawk on harrier aircraft, which were designed for short/vertical take-off and landing. A good design deserves to be imitated, and this is another example of many of God’s designs that humans have copied to create useful tools. In the harrier design, we see the work of the Master Designer.

— Roland Earnst © 2025