Monty or Pallid Harrier - Mallorca May 2016 (1 Viewer)

[GorgeousTony]

This bird was seen at the Alburferetta reserve back in May. At the time it was identified by others present as a Montagu's Harrier - as several had been seen. But on closer inspection of the images I suspect / hope it may have been a Pallid harrier.

Going on Collin's guide my reason for this is a clear light collar (though Collin's says this may also be on a Monty) and pale edge to the "hand" rather than the dark frame expected on a Monty.

Any thoughts?

Tony

 

[Andy Adcock]

I'd go with Pallid for reasons given but it's a tough one, adult female is the hardest to do!

Andy

 

[Ighalo is amazing]

Pallid also for me

 

[KGS]

I would say it is a 2nd cy female Montagu's. Large white markings around eye where where thecrescent below the eye joins the supercilium. Quite fine and regular bars across the primaries and very slim build with small head, long & narrow tail and long and broad hand.

 

[HH75]

Hi all,
First things first, this bird is a 2cy and not an adult female. Note the juvenile head pattern, the remaining pale tips to, say, the primary coverts (although worn and nowhere near as obvious as in fresh plumage), the dark wash to the underside of the secondaries which obscures the barring (though note adult female Pallid is dark enough in this area also) and the rather dark iris (I'd expect an adult female Pallid to have a paler iris than this). Iris colour probably points strongly to a 2cy female, as a male should have a paler iris than is apparent here (with allowances made for the images perhaps being misleading in this respect).
I think this bird looks like a 2cy female Montagu's Harrier, though not an easy one. It hasn't moulted any axilliaries...if it had, as many Montagu's will have done by spring of their 2cy, it would be a lot easier due to the diagnostic barring present on these feathers from 2nd generation on in the species. Such a lack of moult is commoner in 2cy Pallid, but, for me, the head pattern, in particular the large extent of white around the eye and paler loral area giving this bird a 'kindlier' facial expression than a Pallid, and the lack of a more contrasting dark boa/pale collar, point towards this being a Montagu's. The bird has undergone some body moult, being more streaked below than in a juvenile.
Regards,
Harry

P.S. I see KGS got there while I was drafting this!