Possible Montagu's or even Pallid Harrier, South Wiltshire downs (1 Viewer)

[Jeremy27]

Flew over maybe about 100m up, calling loudly. Extraordinarily long tail (narrow, rectangular). T-shaped with, long, thin, pointed wings, slightly angled. Buoyant flight - occasional glides. About the size (maybe a bit smaller) than some buzzards that were around but totally different profile. Barely visible on the video but you can hear the call (blackbirds alarm calls, nuthatch, sheep etc in background). Obviously Pallid is extremely unlikely but I can't find any Montagu's (or Hen) calls that resemble it on xenocanto, whereas Pallid display call is a bit similar. Would be very grateful for any thoughts on this as really not sure.

 

[tconzemi]

Don't see a bird and don't hear a raptor 🤔

 

[Butty]

Welcome to BF.
I see a bird flying fairly directly and disappearing behind the trees: too tiny/distant/brief to do anything with. Don't hear anything raptorish - and separating harriers on voice would be a new one on me - in fact, hearing a wandering/migrating harrier call at all would be a new one on me as well. I could well imagine that individual variation in harrier calls would swamp any diagnosable interspecific differences. I don't know what the foreground call is (sounds a bit like a distant macaw!), but I doubt it's the flying bird as it sounds too close and the volume is constant and not decreasing with distance. (Actually, a macaw would likely fit your description better than a harrier, especially the tail - and what's visible of the bird's flight in the vid does look more macaw than harrier - direct and flapping.)

 

[ApusApus]

There is a speck that starts off over the central tree heading right to left and on a downward trajectory, it then disappears after 5 seconds ............... if anybody can make that out good luck!



Shane

 

[Jeremy27]

Welcome to BF.
I see a bird flying fairly directly and disappearing behind the trees: too tiny/distant/brief to do anything with. Don't hear anything raptorish - and separating harriers on voice would be a new one on me - in fact, hearing a wandering/migrating harrier call at all would be a new one on me as well. I could well imagine that individual variation in harrier calls would swamp any diagnosable interspecific differences. I don't know what the foreground call is (sounds a bit like a distant macaw!), but I doubt it's the flying bird as it sounds too close and the volume is constant and not decreasing with distance. (Actually, a macaw would likely fit your description better than a harrier, especially the tail - and what's visible of the bird's flight in the vid does look more macaw than harrier - direct and flapping.)

Thanks for your very helpful comments. Macaw is an interesting idea - the exotic call did remind me of a parakeet. But the wings were too narrow and the bird had no neck - head barely projected in front of wings. I'm pretty sure it was a harrier. A few pairs of Montagu's usually breed in South Wilts but I've never heard of them calling like that, whereas apparently Pallids do have a somewhat similar display call.

 

[Jeremy27]

There is a speck that starts off over the central tree heading right to left and on a downward trajectory, it then disappears after 5 seconds ............... if anybody can make that out good luck!



Shane

Yes, it's only the call. I can't find much online about harrier display calls but it does somewhat resemble the apparently diagnostic Pallid display call - Pallid Harrier display call

 

[Butty]

wings were too narrow and the bird had no neck - head barely projected in front of wings

Sounds good for a macaw and bad for a harrier. A harrier that's in direct flight over country that's not suitable for breeding is not going to be calling or displaying. The call you've linked to doesn't (to me) sound anything like the call on your video.

 

[Jeremy27]

Welcome to BF.
I see a bird flying fairly directly and disappearing behind the trees: too tiny/distant/brief to do anything with. Don't hear anything raptorish - and separating harriers on voice would be a new one on me - in fact, hearing a wandering/migrating harrier call at all would be a new one on me as well. I could well imagine that individual variation in harrier calls would swamp any diagnosable interspecific differences. I don't know what the foreground call is (sounds a bit like a distant macaw!), but I doubt it's the flying bird as it sounds too close and the volume is constant and not decreasing with distance. (Actually, a macaw would likely fit your description better than a harrier, especially the tail - and what's visible of the bird's flight in the vid does look more macaw than harrier - direct and fl

Sounds good for a macaw and bad for a harrier. A harrier that's in direct flight over country that's not suitable for breeding is not going to be calling or displaying. The call you've linked to doesn't (to me) sound anything like the call on your video.

I've done a bit more searching on the web and think you're right. There's a place called Larmer Tree Gardens not far from where we were and they apparently have free-ranging macaws so I think it must have been that. Would never have thought of it. The flight profile did look much more like a harrier than a macaw but the call, location and probabilities outweigh that. Thanks again for your help - much appreciated.

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

That flying pixel looks more like a Sparrowhawk.

 

[Jeremy27]

That flying pixel looks more like a Sparrowhawk.

Thanks - was much too big, tail and wings far too long and narrow. I think as suggested above it must have been an escaped macaw.

 

[markm]

There is a speck that starts off over the central tree heading right to left and on a downward trajectory, it then disappears after 5 seconds ............... if anybody can make that out good luck!



Shane

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

Thanks - was much too big, tail and wings far too long and narrow. I think as suggested above it must have been an escaped macaw.

Thanks - was much too big, tail and wings far too long and narrow. I think as suggested above it must have been an escaped macaw.

Fair enough, you had a better view

Did you use binoculars because you write that the distance was 100 meter? Or good eyes and good light?

 

[Jeremy27]

Fair enough, you had a better view

Did you use binoculars because you write that the distance was 100 meter? Or good eyes and good light?

The bird flew over about that far away from us but it was only when it was some distance away that we thought to video it. There were some buzzards with it which helped with size comparisons.