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Uganda Raptor 3 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter MacNara
- Start date
gareth_blockley
Smile people
I'd say the second pic is a harrier over buzzard and looks good for ad male marsh, but I don't know what species are found in Uganda.
Pic 1 looks like juv Purple heron!
Wait for the experts
Gareth
Pic 1 looks like juv Purple heron!
Wait for the experts
Gareth
Which?
Thanks for answering.
Actually, on reflection, I think that they may not be the same species. I think the first picture may be Common Buzzard and the second may be the Eurasian Marsh Harrier. They are both found all over Uganda according to the books, but the two books I'm using have quite different pictures for the Common, and on another thread today I have learnt to beware of the books more than I had been doing.
Purple Heron is out for the first one! Surely?
Here are two more shots, one of each (reverse order from last time).
Thanks for answering.
Actually, on reflection, I think that they may not be the same species. I think the first picture may be Common Buzzard and the second may be the Eurasian Marsh Harrier. They are both found all over Uganda according to the books, but the two books I'm using have quite different pictures for the Common, and on another thread today I have learnt to beware of the books more than I had been doing.
Purple Heron is out for the first one! Surely?
Here are two more shots, one of each (reverse order from last time).
Attachments
bitterntwisted
Graham Howard Shortt
Agree on the Marsh Harrier.
I can't do the other one, but the pale trailing edge to the secondaries doesn't say Buzzard to me. Also, while I'm a little unclear on Buteo taxonomy I think the only candidates in Uganda are Steppe Buzzard (vulpinus), Mountain Buzzard (oreophilus) Augur Buzzrad (augur) and Red-necked Buzzard (auguralis) - I think all books differ on the taxonomy of these taxa.
Graham
I can't do the other one, but the pale trailing edge to the secondaries doesn't say Buzzard to me. Also, while I'm a little unclear on Buteo taxonomy I think the only candidates in Uganda are Steppe Buzzard (vulpinus), Mountain Buzzard (oreophilus) Augur Buzzrad (augur) and Red-necked Buzzard (auguralis) - I think all books differ on the taxonomy of these taxa.
Graham
Well, I'm very poor on raptors, which is why I've posted all this stuff. Thanks for taking the trouble to look at it.
Birds of East Africa and Birds of Kenya have Steppe Buzzard as an alternative name for the Common Buzzard, Buteo buteo (vulpinis) and this is what I was thinking of.
The picture in East Africa (Fanshawe) doesn't look right, but that in Kenya (Zimmerman: 7a brown juvenile; 7b rufous adult) does to me.
It's bedtime here for me. Thanks for helping. I'll check in again tomorrow morning.
Attachments
I can't think of anything else than juvenile Bateleur (regarding the first bird):
-greyish remiges with blackish fingers and a dark subterminal band at the trailing edge of the wing
-the greater upperwing coverts form a dark band across the wing
-short tail
-it has lots of secondaries (by far too many for a buzzard)
I'm not an expert on African raptors, but it definitely isn't a Common Buzzard. Here's a juvenile Bateleur for comparison (couldn't find an image showing the upperwing pattern):
http://www.pbase.com/calliedewet/image/74121669
-greyish remiges with blackish fingers and a dark subterminal band at the trailing edge of the wing
-the greater upperwing coverts form a dark band across the wing
-short tail
-it has lots of secondaries (by far too many for a buzzard)
I'm not an expert on African raptors, but it definitely isn't a Common Buzzard. Here's a juvenile Bateleur for comparison (couldn't find an image showing the upperwing pattern):
http://www.pbase.com/calliedewet/image/74121669
Last edited:
gambirder
Kev Roy
Agreed on Marsh Harrier and equally stumped as everyone else on the other bird. Wings look long for a Common Buzzard and the wrong shape (too much hand) for a Bateleur (also I'd expect to see projecting feet if it was a juv Bateleur, though the tail does look short). Best shot - dark carpal patch, reddish-brown body and upper wing coverts - Long-legged Buzzard?? Greyish 2ries problematic though.
birdboybowley
Well-known member.....apparently so ;)
Looks like an imm Gymnogene
Like I already mentioned, it has way too many secondaries for a buzzard (buzzards have only 14 secondaries, of which the innermost aren't usually visible). A Long-legged Buzzard would also have a much paler tail, a pale patch on the upperwing coverts and juveniles would show a white primary flash. Here's an adult LLB for comparison:
http://www.tarsiger.com/gallery/index.php?pic_id=Jniemi1210344094&lang=eng
Note that only about 10 secondaries are visible.
A Gymnogene has apparently also fewer secondaries (which are additionally much broader than on the subject bird), and a much longer tail:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwsteffelaar/2620418576/
A Bateleur, on the other hand, has totally 25 rather narrow secondaries, and the feet don't necessarily project behind the tail on a juvenile:
http://www.netfugl.dk/pictures.php?id=showpicture&picture_id=25762
http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/bateleur:terathopius-ecaudatus-photo-2426.html
http://www.tarsiger.com/gallery/index.php?pic_id=Jniemi1210344094&lang=eng
Note that only about 10 secondaries are visible.
A Gymnogene has apparently also fewer secondaries (which are additionally much broader than on the subject bird), and a much longer tail:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwsteffelaar/2620418576/
A Bateleur, on the other hand, has totally 25 rather narrow secondaries, and the feet don't necessarily project behind the tail on a juvenile:
http://www.netfugl.dk/pictures.php?id=showpicture&picture_id=25762
http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/bateleur:terathopius-ecaudatus-photo-2426.html
Bateleur and Marsh Harrier
Thank you for the identification of the Marsh Harrier.
I agree with the juvenile Bateleur for the other one, so thanks for this one also. As it happened, I had other shots of a juvenile Bateleur from another place (I saw it from several angles and could identify it definitely). Upping the levels in Photoshop shows the same wing pattern. I attach two shots of this other bird.
We saw juvenile Bateleur on several occasions, but an adult only once and quite far overhead. Do not many juveniles make it to adult, or do they move somewhere else than Uganda?
Thank you for the identification of the Marsh Harrier.
I agree with the juvenile Bateleur for the other one, so thanks for this one also. As it happened, I had other shots of a juvenile Bateleur from another place (I saw it from several angles and could identify it definitely). Upping the levels in Photoshop shows the same wing pattern. I attach two shots of this other bird.
We saw juvenile Bateleur on several occasions, but an adult only once and quite far overhead. Do not many juveniles make it to adult, or do they move somewhere else than Uganda?
Attachments
gambirder
Kev Roy
CAU's info on Bateleur secondaries and the tails of juvs is persuasive. (LLB was only ever a best guess from me to a bird which didn't seem to fit anything very well.) MacNara's own new juv Bateleur pics clinches it!
CAU, what you think of the full-looking hand? Does the wing-shape of Bateleurs change as they mature?
CAU, what you think of the full-looking hand? Does the wing-shape of Bateleurs change as they mature?
Bateleur Juvenile
I have done this as Bateleur Juvenile, ditto 2 and ditto 3.
When my three photo limit expires tomorrow, I will upload the two photos of the other bird which shows the upper wing very clearly.
I have done this as Bateleur Juvenile, ditto 2 and ditto 3.
When my three photo limit expires tomorrow, I will upload the two photos of the other bird which shows the upper wing very clearly.
Juvenile Bateleurs have slightly fuller hands than adults, but I believe that the main cause is the combination of photographic angle and the fact that the bird is in active flight. This juvenile shows also full-looking hands because of similar reasons:
http://www.pbase.com/calliedewet/image/74121669
gareth_blockley
Smile people
Haha yeah, it was ust an amateurish wild stab in the dark! I realise shape and jizz all wrong for a heron but based on a quick look the colours seemed to match juv Purple heron.
It's good to know there are others with far more experience and knowledge to ask for help. I still have photos that I'm not 100% on although I can say that they are most probably X for the following reasons...
Good luck
