Honey Buzzard? Just outside Paris, France - 26 May 2023 (1 Viewer)

[pjacobs]

I saw this raptor this morning as it was soaring in the distance. The pictures aren't great. My initial thought was just another common buzzard so I hestiated to even snap a photo, but this one seemed a little bit off. The tail seemed too long and the overall shape didn't feel like a buzzard (to this novice). In the photos it seems to be lacking a breast band and I think I can make out a faint mid-tail bar, which all seems right for the Honey Buzzard. But like I said, this one was far off and I've never seen a Honey Buzzard, so not a lot of confidence in this one.

Any thoughts from the crowd?

 

[Harrybongo]

I saw this raptor this morning as it was soaring in the distance. The pictures aren't great. My initial thought was just another common buzzard so I hestiated to even snap a photo, but this one seemed a little bit off. The tail seemed too long and the overall shape didn't feel like a buzzard (to this novice). In the photos it seems to be lacking a breast band and I think I can make out a faint mid-tail bar, which all seems right for the Honey Buzzard. But like I said, this one was far off and I've never seen a Honey Buzzard, so not a lot of confidence in this one.

Any thoughts from the crowd?

View attachment 1512212

View attachment 1512214
View attachment 1512213
View attachment 1512215

Hi. A total shot in the dark, but all I can think of is, either, a dark morph Booted Eagle or a juvenile Black kite??????????

 

[StuartReeves]

Looks fine for a honey buzzard to me.

 

[KenM]

HB for me👍

 

[Butty]

Some aspects of the structure are a bit equivocal (eg head looks rather big), but tail-shape is right for honey buzzard and tail-pattern (pic 4) certainly nails it. (1 & 3 are the same photo.)

 

[pjacobs]

That's a lifer for me! Thanks everyone.

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

A very classic adult female Honey Buzzard indeed.