This harrier searches for food over wetlands and other open places. Males show more white and grey, while females are browner. It occurs in Madagascar and the Comoros.
Males have a dark head and back, white underparts, and pale grey upperwings. Females are brown above, with brown streaking on the head and underparts.
The Malagasy Harrier nests in marshes and hunts in nearby grassland and savanna. At Ambohitantely Special Reserve on Madagascar’s central plateau, all 11 nests located during the 1997 and 1998 breeding seasons were built on vegetation in marshes. The nine nests measured averaged 43.2 cm above the water.
In 166 observations of males passing prey to females at nests, 88.8% of transfers took place in the air. By count, the 272 prey items recorded at nests were 48.2% insects, 20.9% snakes and 20.6% birds. Insects were the most numerous, while birds made up the largest share in the separate biomass comparison. A 2005–06 survey across Madagascar also found marshes important for nesting, while grassland and savanna were used for foraging. This mix of wetland and open ground supports both nesting and hunting.
IUCN Red List · Endangered (EN) · Global
The 2025 IUCN Red List assessment classifies the Malagasy Harrier as Endangered (EN) globally. The mature population is estimated at fewer than 500 individuals and is decreasing. The assessment says three of the small island subpopulations face an especially high risk of local extinction.