Falcon sp. Masai Mara, Kenya. Nov 22 (1 Viewer)

[stuartelsom]

I would be very grateful of your opinions regarding this bird which until editing the pics just a moment ago I had completely forgotten about. This is heavily cropped, it was always distant, and not seen to fly so not a particularly helpful set of circumstances, could this be an Amur Falcon?

Thanks very much

Stu

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Hi Stu, tricky image, but given the unbarred tail and inconspicuous (dark and not obvious) eye ring, I couldn't rule out Hobby from this single image. Hope this helps and you get some more (informed) opinions!

 

[Butty]

I can think of 5 species that are in the frame based just on that view. It does seem to have very long wings, which might knock some out - though that does depend on posture.

 

[THE_FERN]

First impression: euro hobby

 

[stuartelsom]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. Much appreciated.

Stu

 

[Andy Adcock]

No books here but how are you ruling out African Hobby, both would be present in November?

 

[Butty]

how are you ruling out African Hobby...?

One of the...

5 species that are in the frame

 

[THE_FERN]

No books here but how are you ruling out African Hobby, both would be present in November?

That's got orangey round the face etc where euro has white. If it were that, I'd expect some hint of this

Edit: I note we can see a yellow cere. Think that makes Amur etc less likely

 

[tconzemi]

I was not able to find a single photography of a juvenile African Hobby. I think the unbarred central tail feathers leaves us with the Hobbies

 

[Brian J Small]

I was not able to find a single photography of a juvenile African Hobby. I think the unbarred central tail feathers leaves us with the Hobbies

Possibly this?

ML205472341 - African Hobby - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML205472341; © Nik Borrow; Central, Uganda

macaulaylibrary.org

 

[tconzemi]

Possibly this?

ML205472341 - African Hobby - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML205472341; © Nik Borrow; Central, Uganda

macaulaylibrary.org

Nice, thanks, and it confirms that juvenile African Hobby is much more orangey already at that age

 

[Butty]

I think the unbarred central tail feathers leaves us with the Hobbies

...and sooty falcon and (given the photo-quality and the fact that they can have tail only weakly barred) Amur falcon.

ML527050881 - Eurasian Hobby - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML527050881; © Alexis Lamek; Mpumalanga, South Africa

macaulaylibrary.org

ML544593241 - Amur Falcon - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML544593241; © Keith Wickens; Gauteng, South Africa

macaulaylibrary.org

 

[tconzemi]

...and sooty falcon and (given the photo-quality and the fact that they can have tail only weakly barred) Amur falcon.

Agree with Sooty but upperparts of Amur looks really different

 

[THE_FERN]

...and sooty falcon and (given the photo-quality and the fact that they can have tail only weakly barred) Amur falcon.

ML527050881 - Eurasian Hobby - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML527050881; © Alexis Lamek; Mpumalanga, South Africa

macaulaylibrary.org

ML544593241 - Amur Falcon - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML544593241; © Keith Wickens; Gauteng, South Africa

macaulaylibrary.org

What makes ...881 amur falcon? Looks more like hobby. We can't see the legs etc to be sure, but cere is yellow (compare 241)

Edit: the checklist has other photos. In one we can see the legs are yellow so 881 is a misidentified Eurasian hobby. I'll flag it...

 

[tconzemi]

Edit: the checklist has other photos. In one we can see the legs are yellow so 881 is a misidentified Eurasian hobby. I'll flag it...

Agreed

 

[Butty]

...and there's a juv black-winged kite among the Macaulay 'Amur falcons'. Amusing.