Northern Harrier Photography at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

I photographed this female Northern Harrier in flight at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma after spotting her hunting along the northwest corner of the auto tour road. Northern Harriers in flight are always a challenge, but this location offers wide open fields that make it easier to track their low, gliding movements.

I stayed in my truck and used it as a mobile blind. Resting my camera on a bean bag placed on the open window helped keep everything steady while still allowing me to react quickly as the harrier moved across the grass.

Field Notes: Northern Harrier Behavior and Habitat

Northern Harriers are often called marsh hawks because of the way they fly low over open fields and wetlands. This female showed classic hunting behavior, gliding slowly while listening and watching for movement below. Her brown plumage blended into the landscape, but the white rump patch near the base of her tail made her easy to identify as she banked and turned.

She spent several minutes patrolling the same stretch of grass, occasionally hovering before drifting forward again. The calm morning and clear skies gave her plenty of light to work with and made it easier for me to follow her movements without harsh shadows.

I wrote a separate post focused more on the elegance and flight style of Northern Harriers, which you can read here: Capturing the Grace of the Northern Harrier in Flight.

Photography Notes: Shooting Northern Harriers in Flight

Photographing Northern Harriers in flight requires anticipation more than speed. Their flight is smooth, but their direction can change quickly when they lock onto prey.

My setup

• Camera: Canon EOS R5 Mark II
• Lens: Canon RF 200–800mm
• Focal length: 800mm

Stability
I supported the lens on a bean bag resting on the truck window. This reduced fatigue and helped keep the frame steady while tracking the bird.

Camera Settings for a Fast-Moving Raptor

• ISO: 1600
• Aperture: f/10
• Shutter speed: 1/3200
• Exposure compensation: 0

The shutter speed froze the harrier’s wing movement, while f/10 provided enough depth of field to keep her sharp without losing detail in the surrounding grass. ISO 1600 delivered clean results in the bright morning light.

Why This Northern Harrier Encounter Stood Out

This encounter was memorable because everything came together. The light was even, the background stayed clean, and the harrier remained focused on hunting rather than reacting to my presence. Spending time watching her patterns helped me anticipate where she would fly next, which made capturing sharp images much easier.

For photographers visiting Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, the auto tour road is one of the best places to photograph birds of prey. Staying inside your vehicle keeps wildlife calm and gives you a stable shooting platform, especially when working with long lenses.