A spectacular harrier patterned in black and silvery white. The male is distinctive with black head, striking yellow cere and eyes, and black shoulders, breast, and wingtips, contrasting with its silvery-white underparts and forewing. The female is gray-and-brown above and lighter below, with a small white rump. Females superficially resemble female Pallid and Montagu’s Harriers, but have a paler underwing with narrow dark barring and sparse streaking on underwing coverts. The species hunts by quartering suitable habitat on buoyant wings. It eats mostly small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and insects.