Raptor ID - help needed (1 Viewer)

H

helenh

Well-known member

• Nov 2, 2003

• #1

The attached photo was taken at Lake Bogoria National Reserve, Kenya on the 24th of October 2003. It has the look of one of the Snake Eagles (either juvie Brown or Black-chested) but the eyes aren't right - they should be yellow, even in juveniles.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Helen

 

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Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening

Supporter

• Nov 2, 2003

• #2

I don't know much about snake eagles but to me the eyes actually do look yellow, which might solve the problem. Pale yellow at the very least.

 

Jasonbirder

Jason-occasional-twitcher

• Nov 2, 2003

• #3

I`m with Fifebirder here; if i was writing this one up i`d definately have the Iris colour down as yellow. (However knowing absolutely nothing about snake eagles i`d probably not realise it was impotant enough to note...)

 

H

helenh

Well-known member

• Nov 2, 2003

• #4

Jasonbirder said:

I`m with Fifebirder here; if i was writing this one up i`d definately have the Iris colour down as yellow. (However knowing absolutely nothing about snake eagles i`d probably not realise it was impotant enough to note...)

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I know what you both mean but Snake Eagles have really yellow eyes. The following shows the head of this ui raptor and the head of a Brown Snake Eagle to illustrate what I mean.

 

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T

Tim

Member

• Nov 3, 2003

• #5

I'm pretty certain it's a Snake Eagle judging by the overall shape and jizz, (especially) the head.
From the leg colour and what can be seen of the tail pattern and undertail coverts I'd go for Western Banded Snake-eagle, Circaetus cinerascens.

 

H

helenh

Well-known member

• Nov 3, 2003

• #6

Tim said:

I'm pretty certain it's a Snake Eagle judging by the overall shape and jizz, (especially) the head.
From the leg colour and what can be seen of the tail pattern and undertail coverts I'd go for Western Banded Snake-eagle, Circaetus cinerascens.

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Thanks Tim. That was one of the species we'd considered but they are really quite scarce in Kenya!