SANParks.org Forums

Nice going Mgoddard, your ID process looks good.

Bird 1:
Yes, it is indeed a Yellow-billed Kite. The all yellow bill is the dead giveaway. Some birds, but notably raptors have, what is called a cere or operculum, around the nostrils. This is the fleshy area that you see at the base of the bill. With most raptors this cere is yellow or sometimes red and in few cases grey. Yellow-billed Kite is the only bird in our region of which not only the cere but also the bill is yellow so, while the rest of your observations were accurate, they were not even neccessary.

The amount by which the tail is forked can vary but your bird still shows somewhat of a fork, something you wouldn't have seen on Tawny Eagle, Steppe Eagle Walhberg’s Eagle or Steppe Buzzard.

Bird 2:
Honey-Buzzard is considered a national rarity so it is not really a bird that should come to mind first when you're working on an ID. It wouldn't be strange for you to see a couple of hundred Steppe Buzzards before you see your first Honey-Buzzard. Apart from the statistical unlikelihood (is there such a word?), there are other features that also rule out Honey-Buzzard. The yellow cere for one is a deal breaker. Honey-Buzzard is one of the few raptors with a grey cere. Honey-Buzzard also has a very distinct undertail barring pattern and a distinctive head shape (which reminds of a Pigeon).

Your observation of the extent of the gape is accurate and that does rule out Steppe Eagle and Lesser Spotted Eagle, leaving Wahlberg's Eagle and Tawny Eagle. I can see why you have doubts about the legs being covered with feathers or not. I'm not sure what to make of it because the bird's right leg does seem surprisingly exposed. The bird definitely is an Eagle though and I suspect it has something to do with wind blowing the feathers open. The all brown undertail is also a strong indicator that the bird is not a Buzzard.

OK, so we're left with Tawny Eagle and Wahlberg's Eagle. I think this is a common ID challenge that birders end up with as both of these birds are very common (especially in Kruger). The differences between the two species are also more in their structure really than in their plumage and this is something that takes a while to appreciate. I have to be honest that my first thought when I saw the picture was Tawny Eagle (and I alluded to that in my previous post). The relatively long tail then had me revise my opinion to Wahlberg's. But finally I think I'll settle for Tawny because of the relatively heavy bill (compared to Wahlberg's that have a little more dainty bill), the contrast between the wing coverts and darker primaries and the fairly baggy appearance of the feathers surrounding the legs.

Bird 3:
Try not to get too caught up in trying to establish the colour of these birds. Large raptors can be so variable in plumage that it is often of little help to know just how brown a bird is. The picture doesn't show much, although you did observe the gape correctly, but based on the general impression that the bird gives, I'd go for Tawny Eagle again.


The identification of Aquila eagles really isn't a trivial task and you're allowed to struggle with them . I think many birders don't appreciate just how difficult they can be and try to ID them too hastily.

Need some help confirming these vultures.
No 1 + 3 Not sure
No 2 White-backed Vulture?


Hooded or Lappet faced?


Unusual position or just tired of waiting?

1 & 3 & Second photo - Hooded Vulture
2 - White-backed Vulture

Thanks francoisd

I love that pic of the White-backed Vulture "passed out" in the tree. I notice there's a hole in the wing, I wonder if it used to be wing-tagged or satellite tagged perhaps?

Hi,
Could you help me to identify these two eagles?
I hesitate between "Eagle, Steppe" and "Eagle, Tawny" and especially for the bird in flight, which has a barred tail.
For the perched Eagle, the criteria of the corner of the mouth is near the limit too...
The photo of the eagle in flight was taken near Olifants, the other near Lower Sabie at the end of July.





Thank you by advance.

Didbird, France
http://dbuysse.free.fr

For the 2nd one I am going to go with a Tawny eagle

Both look like TAWNY EAGLE

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]

Here's another of those perplexing BBJs, altho deefstes' comments in the post immediately above does help a bit. This bird was quite a lot smaller than a tawny eagle (which I'd been observing earlier that morning), and my first guess would be dark morph booted eagle except for the apparent absence of those "landing lights". The other choice would be a smallish dark morph Wahlbergs. Unfortunately the "backlit" position didn't help with my photos I saw this bird in KNP in a tree overhanging the H7 on 12 October 2008.

Hi arks,

The dark chocolaty brown colour and the slight hint of a crest suggests this is Wahlberg's Eagle.

Hi Arks,

Definately a Wahlberg's Eagle! .....Booted Eagle should show the 'landing lights' & shouldn't show the crest on the head, and should also have an unmarked tail I believe.

Many thanks for your ID help, deefstes and rusty justy!

Pleasure

There was an intresting discussion a page or two back about the differences between the little sparrowhawk and the shikra. I'd originally thought that this little raptor was a shikra, mainly because of the red eyes, but looking more closely, it looks like there is white on the tail, so now I'm not so sure Can anyone help me determine which is is?

Also, my Newmans describes the little sparrowhawk as secretive, yet this bird was sitting in a tree adjacent to my stoep at Mopani, on 15 October 2008 — which might also seem more indicative of the less secretive shikra?