Northern Harrier Flying Above Redhead Duck Flock, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina - Foto stock

A northern harrier (Circus hudsonius) soars above a chaotic eruption of redhead ducks (Aythya americana) lifting off from the wetlands at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge along North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Each winter, this vital refuge becomes a seasonal hub for migratory birds traveling the Atlantic Flyway, including large concentrations of redhead ducks that rely on the refuge’s shallow impoundments and brackish marshes for food and rest. Northern harriers, with their distinctive low hunting flight and sharp eyesight, use these same marshes to hunt small birds and rodents concealed in the vegetation. Pea Island’s role as a protected habitat ensures that these intricate predator-prey dynamics remain intact, highlighting the larger importance of federally managed refuges in supporting migratory species and preserving the ecological integrity of North Carolina’s fragile coastal ecosystems.