tags: Juvenile Martial Eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Juvenile Martial Eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus, photographed in Nakuru National Park, Kenya, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 29 July 2006 [larger view].
Nikon D2X, 200-400 VR lens at 200. ISO 200, 1/2000, f 5.6.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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tags: Juvenile Martial Eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Juvenile Martial Eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus, photographed in Nakuru National Park, Kenya, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 29 July 2006 [larger view].…
tags: Eurasian Tawny-Eagle, Asian Tawny-Eagle, African Tawny-Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Aquila rapax, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Tawny Eagle, also known by a number of common names that reflect its wide-ranging status; Asian Tawny-Eagle, Eurasian Tawny-Eagle and African Tawny-Eagle…
tags: White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher,, Melaenornis fischeri, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Melaenornis fischeri, photographed in Nakuru National Park, Kenya, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 29 August 2006 […
tags: Black Crake, Amaurornis flavirostris, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Black Crake, Amaurornis flavirostris, photographed at Amboseli National Park, Kenya, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 6 August 2006 [larger view].
Nikon D2X, ISO…
Spotted eagle owl? Suggestion of 'ear' tufts, barred tail.
I like your choice Richard, certainly an eagle owl, but I'm going to go with the Greyish Eagle Owl, Bubo cinerascens because I don't want to copy you (!) and the only real differnce between B. cinerascens and B. africanus is in the eye color and facial disk (neither of which are shown here!)...
my get out of course is that some authorities call mine Bubo africanus cinerascens as the northern subspecies of Spotted Eagle-Owl more commonly found in northern Kenya and Uganda, and since Nakuru is in the Rift Valley province, I'm hedging my bets!
okay, you both are placing your IDs in the wrong family. this is diurnal bird and it is in heavy moult, so you have a smorgasbord of plumages that are you are seeing all on this one bird. that should help you think about the age of this bird. (besides, do those wings REALLY look like an owl's?) i'll give you another hint tonight if you're still mystified.
OK, substituting the perception of ears for a crest, I'm going with a Martial Eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus, perhaps a female because she is more blotchy above or a male less than 7 years old...
I'm going with Ayres's Hawk Eagle, Hieraatus ayresii. Martial Eagle should show 7 slotted primaries -- this bird clearly shows 6. Any of the Buteos should show 5. Wahlberg's and Black Eagles show unbarred tails. Tawny Eagle has 7 slotted primaries.
African Hawk Eagle, H. spilogaster should show obvious paler outer primaries, even in molt like this.
Okay, I may be completely off-base... but I actually do live in Africa and have seen them many times... and okay this looks remarkably like a fish-eagle to me, taken from above and behind will hide the characteristic yellow beak and white chest so I can't be sure, but the shape of the wings is a big hint.
The lack of anything to judge size makes it much more difficult, I was tempted at the white-cross eagle but it's not dark enough I think (though you did say it's in malt).
Either way, I think my guess is as good as any, so I'll stick to fisheagle unless you give us another hint :P
one more hint that should help you get a better idea of the bird's size: this bird was in hot pursuit of a guinea fowl.
So I go away for a few days and come back to this. I'm going with juvenile, moulting to immature, Verreaux's Eagle (possibly female). The reason? rusty brown feathers replacing barred juvenile plumage and white tips to unmoulted coverts. I know I'm 100% incorrect but the best I can do on this one.