[MrSmith]

Hi

I can't work out what this is, I have seen this bird a couple of times in the last week in Camps Bay, Cape Town. The water in the background is the Atlantic Ocean.

Today is the first time I managed to get a few pictures, sorry they are not great the light was not good, very overcast and taken holding camera to the eyepiece of my scope and then binos.

Any ideas?

[njlarsen]

Reminds me of a juvenile egyptian vulture, even though I am not positive

Niels

[tconzemi]

Originally Posted by njlarsen

Reminds me of a juvenile egyptian vulture, even though I am not positive

Niels

Egyptian do not have yellow iris, also this bird prey has a very long crest and barred flight feathers, I only can think about Long-crested Eagle, but one with big problems having lost all the feathers in the face, strange, very strange

[njlarsen]

Hi Tom, if you look at third image the bill looks too weak for an eagle, at least to my mind ...

Niels

[tconzemi]

Originally Posted by njlarsen

Hi Tom, if you look at third image the bill looks too weak for an eagle, at least to my mind ...

Niels

agree, it looks tiny like an Egyptian, but this guy has feathered tarsi and Long-crested is a small eagle, maybe it lost its hook when loosing all these feathers, as I said
strange, strange...

[Douwe]

A juvenile/immature African Harrier-hawk (Gymnogene) might be an option, although the eye normally is not that bright yellow, see http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/155...-harrier-hawk/

Douwe

[MrSmith]

Originally Posted by Douwe

A juvenile/immature African Harrier-hawk (Gymnogene) might be an option, although the eye normally is not that bright yellow, see http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/155...-harrier-hawk/

Douwe

I would say not as the bill on my bird is long and thin.

[birdboybowley]

Long-crested Eagle is the only option surely...albeit one with severe feather loss around the face! Weird looking thing for sure!

[njlarsen]

Strange thing for sure ...

Niels

[MrSmith]

A local expert just emailed me the following response after the photos were email to him:

This bird is a very young African Harrier Hawk (aka Gymnogene). Judging by the plumage, I don’t think it left the nest all that long ago... One doesn’t get to see photos of birds this young out in the field, so to speak, all that often.

Thanks guys.

[tconzemi]

Originally Posted by MrSmith

A local expert just emailed me the following response after the photos were email to him:

Quote:

This bird is a very young African Harrier Hawk (aka Gymnogene). Judging by the plumage, I don’t think it left the nest all that long ago... One doesn’t get to see photos of birds this young out in the field, so to speak, all that often.


Thanks guys.

Hi again
I have a few questions for the local expert

when does the iris color change from bright yellow to brownish as shown on all available pictures of young and very young gymnogenes?
when do these very young gymnogenes loose their tarsal feathering and finally look like normal gymnogenes of any age with long, no very long bare tarsi?
And why does this very young gymnogene not show large pale feather edges on upperwing as they usually do?

Maybe you should ask a second opinion from another local expert

[birdboybowley]

Agree with Tom - just don't see a Gymnogene here.....

[redeyedvideo]

Originally Posted by birdboybowley

Long-crested Eagle is the only option surely...albeit one with severe feather loss around the face! Weird looking thing for sure!

There's your answer, that's exactly what it is.

[Douwe]

Originally Posted by tconzemi

Hi again
I have a few questions for the local expert

when does the iris color change from bright yellow to brownish as shown on all available pictures of young and very young gymnogenes?
when do these very young gymnogenes loose their tarsal feathering and finally look like normal gymnogenes of any age with long, no very long bare tarsi?
And why does this very young gymnogene not show large pale feather edges on upperwing as they usually do?

Maybe you should ask a second opinion from another local expert

Although I initially suggested Gymnogene, I fully agree with Tom that the factors he mentioned do not support this species. However, a long-crested is out of range in Capetown, although this is off course possible. I would like to hear the opinion of some other local experts.

Douwe

[redeyedvideo]

I'm neither local or expert but a number of birds I've seen with bill deformities and feather loss have either been released from or escaped from captivity. Is this feasible for this species do you know?

[tconzemi]

Originally Posted by redeyedvideo

I'm neither local or expert but a number of birds I've seen with bill deformities and feather loss have either been released from or escaped from captivity. Is this feasible for this species do you know?

yes indeed good question, it would explain the feather loss, the hook loss and the occurrence outside the range, so are raptors kept in captivity (legally or illegally) in ZA?

[njlarsen]

Originally Posted by tconzemi

yes indeed good question, it would explain the feather loss, the hook loss and the occurrence outside the range, so are raptors kept in captivity (legally or illegally) in ZA?

And would it open up for the possibility of a species from outside Africa? (not that I know what that would be)

Niels

[MrSmith]

The local consensus (I have been in email contact with a few local experts) seems to be that it is a Long Crested Eagle and possibly recently escaped from http://www.worldofbirds.org.za/index.php.
The Long Crested Eagle that they lost recently had arrived with them in a damaged condition.
I took many photos of the bird today and will post more pictures as soon as I have selected a few and resized them.

[MrSmith]

I managed to get some closer pics yesterday afternoon.

In flight and overview:

[MrSmith]

Head and tail:

[MrSmith]

Body:

[Douwe]

Pretty conclusive for long-crested eagle I would say.

Douwe