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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 7:05 pm 
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Junior Virtual Ranger
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Little Sparrowhawk! :)

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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:08 pm 
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Please confirm or correct my ID's. Seen close to Hartebeeshoek:

Black Kite?

Image

Image

Cape Vulture?

Image

Not taken at the same time:

Image

Thanks


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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:36 am 
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Hi sprunkey,

Your first bird is a good old Steppe Buzzard. Black Kite would have shown a whiter head and overall different shape.

Your second bird is indeed a Cape Vulture. From pictures like this it would be very difficult to seperate Cape Vulture from White-backed Vulture but purely based on the distribution I'd say it's safe to tick Cape Vulture. The birds do appear quite pale which is also a good indicator that it's Cape Vulture.

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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 12:23 pm 
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Can't you seen the pale eye in the first Vulture Pic???! :roll: :lol: Just Kidding..........Agree with the Steppe Buzzard and Cape Vulture!

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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:37 pm 
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deefstes wrote:
Hi Didier,

I'd agree with Tawny Eagle on both pics but I'm also confused about the barring on the tail of the first bird. I can't think that I've ever seen this on Tawny Eagle, it is rather something you'd expect on Lesser Spotted Eagle. Having said that, the wing shape and tail length don't fit Lesser Spotted Eagle - not to mention the fact that Lesser Spotted Eagle would be happily breeding in Eastern Europe at the end of July. So, of course, would Steppe Eagle so that one is also not really a contender.

You don't have some more pics of the bird perhaps? I'm reasonably sure that it must be a Tawny Eagle. At that time of year and with those S-shaped trailing edges to the wings, I really can't think of anything else it could be but it would be interesting to get some other angles on the bird.

[cautious whisper]I'm not sure if I should consider dark morph Booted Eagle. The barring on the tail and the rounded wings would fit but the blatant lack of "landing lights" and lack of white base to the tail is a problem. Also, when I first opened the picture, I didn't get the Booted Eagle feeling at all, which is probably a strong indicator as they really are rather unique looking birds with which I typically don't struggle. Also, Booted Eagle in KNP at the end of July would be well out of range.[/cautious whisper]


Thank you for your help, especially to DotDan, Ivan and deefstes. Sorry to answer so lately but I had problem with my internet connection. No more picture about the Tawny Eagle but I have a picture to show you : probably a Booted Eagle near Lower Sabie in July....
Cheers,

Image

Didbird


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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:53 pm 
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Sub-Adult Tawny's often show this dark head when moulting into Adult plumage.........This how ever seems like more of a 'feminine' eagle  :lol: Booted Eagle should be streaked on the breast and throat, and paler throated I believe...(Not to sure, as Ive never seen one).......The brown head, seems like a daqrk, although not too dark headed morph of Wahlberg's Eagle.

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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 8:46 am 
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Saw this Steppe Buzzard in the Hartebeeshoek area yesterday:

Image

The reason I'm posting is that this one was quite interesting with the breast so heavily streaked, telling me it's a Juvenile.

Your thoughts on it?


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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:43 pm 
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Thanks 4 Sharing! :D

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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:55 pm 
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Please help with identifying this bird. It was seen in December on the Voortrekker Road near Afsaal.

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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:08 pm 
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Don't have any refrences with me, But looks like immature Dark-Chanting Goshawk to me :D

Would also be a lifer :twisted: , great sighting!!! :thumbs_up:

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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:24 am 
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Yup, certainly is a juvenile Dark Chanting Goshawk.

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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 12:04 pm 
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Whens it the correct time to use Juvenile, and immature??! :D

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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 1:32 pm 
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Rusty Justy wrote:
Whens it the correct time to use Juvenile, and immature??! :D

There was actually some discussion on this topic on SABN not too long ago. I've mostly used the two terms interchangeably but there is actually a difference and I should get in the habit of using it properly.

Here is what Vincent Ward had to say on the topic:
Vincent Ward wrote:
The terms are absolutely not interchangable. Each refers to a specifically definible moulted set of body plumages.

A bird with its first set of "non-downy" body feathers is referred as being in juvenile plumage.

The next change of body plumage after another full moult, but which is not its adult plumage, is the immature plumage.

If the bird has another body plumage moult, but is still not in adult plumage, it is in it's subadult plumage.

Not all bird have all the stages. Short lived species like passerines can go from juvenile to adult. Longer lived species tended to add the extra stages.
The situation gets complicated in very long lived species (like albatrosses and raptors) where there may be multiple stages of any of the above.

The length of time between body moults also vary depending on the life span of the species. In short lived species there can be 6 months between each moult, a year or more for longer lived species.

The best SA example of a species that has all four plumages is the Kelp Gull which reaches adult maturity at 4 years. I did a population study a few years ago and could age all of the birds in my study group with relative accuracy.

I hope this helps.

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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 1:41 pm 
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Thanks A lot deefstes, will also have to get into the habit of using them correctly.......Always figured Juvenile was younger, just never knew how to tell :doh: :D

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 Post subject: Re: Identification Help - Raptors
Unread postPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:32 pm 
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Thanks Deefstes. I think many of us were using these terms interchanging.

Would the term sub-adult then be refering to plumage between immature and adult? like in raptors?

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