European or Oriental Honey Buzzard? Sudan (1 Viewer)

[tomjenner]

In a recent post on the identification of a pipit http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=209741, the identification of a Honey Buzzard was also discussed. The bird shows 6 primaries and does not have a dark carpal, suggesting that the bird might be an Oriental Honey Buzzard. There also seems to be a bit of a secondary bulge. This would be a rare African sighting and the first for Sudan, so I decided to make a separate post to get further discussion on the identification. Any comments would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Tom

 

[Biancone]

Posts about Oriental HB often draw a deafening silence! Perhaps not many birders are really familar with both? I'm certainly not. A recent paper (which I sadly haven't seen yet...) apparently reviews differences between OHB and EHB, but notes some probable hybrids. Guess a Sudan record for OHB might not be wildly unexpected given records from the Arabian Peninsula. Your bird looks a reasonable candidate but proof might be difficult with these images. The moult pattern, notably gaps in secondaries, is similar to some post-breeding EHB around now (but was your image from May?). The article abstract is at link below.

http://www.dutchbirding.nl/journal.php?show_summary=true&journalid=244&contentid=1

 

[gerrywestdean]

I have seen many Honey Buzzards while birding in Thailand, Malaysia, Java, Sumatra and China. The Eastern HB orientalis and the Crested HB ptilorhynchus both occur and although I have seen both, there is normally too much going on to sort out every HB that is seen. The Crested is the shorter-winged of the two and is probably unlikely to occur in Africa. Eastern HB and Western HB are, as you say, easily told by the lack of a dark patch on the carpals and the six primaries of Eastern. It is also a larger bird than Western with longer wings and tail. A bird looking like the one in your pictures would be quickly noticed in Europe. Great pictures and I think it is The Eastern HB orientalis. Names I have used are from Raptors of the World, Ferguson-Lees and Christie.

 

[tomjenner]

Thanks for all the comments. I sent the photos to raptor expert Bill Clark and he describes it as a definite Crested Honey-Buzzard. I wonder what it is doing in the region so late, as the bird was seen on June 1st. Does anyone know when they are generally seen in the Middle East? I would also be interested to know how a good a record this is for Africa. I know it has been recorded in Egypt, but does anyone know how frequently?
Thanks

Tom

 

[gerrywestdean]

What does BC mean by Crested Honey-buzzard? Eastern HB orientalis and the Crested HB ptilorhynchus are different species according to Raptors of the World and the latter is non-migratory. Perhaps the taxonomy of ROW is not widely followed.

 

[gerrywestdean]

Tom, I tried to get some clarification on Honey Buzzards regarding races/species. See this thread:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=210225
Thanks to Richard Klim and Biancone.
So your bird is the Crested HB Pernis ptilorhynchus orientalis

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

Hi there,

Excellent record for Africa. I'm pretty sure orientalis deserves a species status (Pernis orientalis). I bet it is closer related to apivorus than to ptilorhynhcus.

I intend to find the first Tanzanian record... why not in November 2011?

Cheers

 

[Parker]

With the many records of OHB from Israel both in Spring & Autumn I thik it's safe to assume a small number of this species regularly winter somewhere in Africa. So you may have a chance of findig one Valery.