Pallid harrier male, in flight

The Pallid Harrier is a migratory bird of prey of the harrier subfamily. The scientific name is derived from the Ancient Greek. "Circus" is from "kirkos", referring to a bird of prey named for its circling flight, probably the hen harrier and "macrourus" is "long-tailed", from "makros", "long" and "-ouros" "-tailed".