Harriers are more than capable of taking a bittern in terms of weight (they
have been known to take rabbits and BT Possums) whether they get bitterns is
a another story. While I was working in Twizel (NZ) we had a resident Aust.
bittern pair on the wetlands below the house which frequently ventured out
onto the shingle and occasionally with their fledgling. The resident harrier
found this either an affront or was overly adventurous as it would swoop the
bitterns as it was quartering. The latter seemed unperturbed or would coil
their necks back (equivalent of cocking the trigger) and sway which the
harrier seemed to understand and went back to picking up ducklings and their
adults. This contact was not frequent as the bitterns would dance the
shingle in the evening usually when the light was reducing the harrier's
foraging efficiency. Ciao
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