Hen Harriers are the largest and most widespread of all Northern Hemisphere raptors.
They inhabit a large region stretching from Europe to Asia and North Africa, and across into America. This area encompasses many habitats: cultivated fields, open grasslands, coastal dunes, heathland scrub, mountain slopes, taiga forests and tundra.
Hen harriers prefer lowland areas but they will go up hillsides or mountains if they find prey such as grouse or ptarmigan.
In summer, they breed throughout their range except for the northernmost breeding populations which leave nesting sites after raising one clutch per year in June-July (or July-August).