THE NORTHERN HARRIER (CIRCUS HUDSONIUS (LINNAEUS 1766), ACCIPITRIDAE, AVES), A SPECIES NEW TO RUSSIA’S AVIFAUNA

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Abstract
Feathers of an unknown bird of prey were collected on the coastal plain tundra near Meinypil’gyno (62°32′ N, 177°03′ E), SE Chukotka on June 5, 2021. An analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and sex chromosome CHD1 gene fragments from DNA isolated from the feathers showed with full confidence that the feathers belonged to a male of the Nearctic Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius (Linnaeus 1766)), formerly considered as being a subspecies of the Holarctic Hen Harrier (C. cyaneus (Linnaeus 1766)). No specimens of the American Harrier from the northern Far East of Russia are contained in the collections of the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University and the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Few other known visual observations of harriers in Chukotka are not properly documented for their correct species identification. The revealed vagrant American Harrier documents the first record of this species in Russia generally and in Chukotka in particular.