Raptor, Doğubeyazıt Turkey (1 Viewer)

[BikeandBird]

Hi all,

photographed that raptor yesterday in Doğubeyazıt Turkey.
Can you help me with ID?

Thanks in advance,

Leo

 

[Butty]

I'd go for immature Bonelli's eagle, eg obscure dark carpal patch and bar along greater coverts.

 

[tconzemi]

Interesting bird, one you have to look twice if it is Imperial or Golden
Wing shape says Golden

 

[Butty]

you have to look twice if it is Imperial or Golden

I don't see plumage features to support either of those. You do?
I find wing-shape not that good for golden eagle: base not narrowed enough, hand too narrow.

 

[Ratal]

Broad black trailing edge, Carpal patches - Steppe Eagle

 

[Ratal]

Yep - Black Carpal patch, grey hand, black trailing edge, - I'm sticking to Steppe Eagle for this one

 

[BikeandBird]

Thanks for all the input. I hope that a species gets at least a second vote

 

[tconzemi]

Explaining may be better than voting?
Bird is adult or subadult
The subterminal bar on wings is extremely broad, much broader than in Steppe, even broader on tail (as in EIE and GE)
P10 and maybe P9(?) is growing, so hand not as broad as usual
Barring on secondaries diluted as in GE
Tail length equal aprox. wing base like GE
EIE would be much darker at this stage, almost black
Wings pinched in at body like GE
That said I have terrible headaches (covid) and sick, don’t trust me, explain your points

 

[Ratal]

IMHO - Tail is too short, the colouring is all wrong - The tail length alone rules out Golden IMHO

Thanks for all the input. I hope that a species gets at least a second vote

² your bird is textbook perfect shot of Steppe Eagle

 

[THE_FERN]

Interesting bird, one you have to look twice if it is Imperial or Golden
Wing shape says Golden

I wondered too. Are those wings really broad enough?

 

[tconzemi]

IMHO - Tail is too short, the colouring is all wrong - The tail length alone rules out Golden IMHO

² your bird is textbook perfect shot of Steppe Eagle

Look better in your textbook and compare subterminal bar width

 

[Butty]

If you take Svensson's adult golden eagle and intensify the barring on the flight-feathers slightly, you do have - plumage-wise - a bird extremely similar to the OP's. In particular, it matches this bird's wide dark (sub)terminal tail-bar and dark median-covert bar, neither of which are 'textbook perfect' steppe eagle features.

 

[KenM]

The finger count suggests seven, wouldn’t this rule out Golden?

 

[Ratal]

Look better in your textbook and compare subterminal bar width

Never seen or heard of a Golden Eagle with seven fingers. Steppe Eagle? yes. Golden? no.

 

[tconzemi]

Never seen or heard of a Golden Eagle with seven fingers. Steppe Eagle? yes. Golden? no.

Soaring golden eagle

The eagle has some dry grass in her claws. She soared until she reached a good height; once there, she let go of the grass, only to dive after it and snatch it in mid-air. I was lucky to capture the action.

www.birdforum.net

Golden eagle, low flight

Adult golden eagle, soaring low over the rocky hills. Transylvania, Apuseni Mountains.

www.birdforum.net

Sub-adult Golden Eagle

A funny thing happened on the way to the village this morning ...

www.birdforum.net

 

[THE_FERN]

That said I have terrible headaches (covid) and sick, don’t trust me, explain your points

Get well soon !

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
normally its only a post I learn from, but thats not important here.

Gute Besserung, Tom!

 

[BikeandBird]

Thanks Tom for your explanations.

And get well soon!

 

[Ratal]

Soaring golden eagle

The eagle has some dry grass in her claws. She soared until she reached a good height; once there, she let go of the grass, only to dive after it and snatch it in mid-air. I was lucky to capture the action.

www.birdforum.net

Golden eagle, low flight

Adult golden eagle, soaring low over the rocky hills. Transylvania, Apuseni Mountains.

www.birdforum.net

Sub-adult Golden Eagle

A funny thing happened on the way to the village this morning ...

www.birdforum.net

The ironic thing here is you proved that this bird in question is not a Golden Eagle. That entire bird is wrong for GE.

 

[Sangahyando]

The ironic thing here is you proved that this bird in question is not a Golden Eagle. That entire bird is wrong for GE.

I don't see how the "entire bird" looks wrong for GE. Certainly not the most typical looking for GE (or else there wouldn't be a discussion), but since you've brought up the illustration from the Collins guide, the bird in the OP resembles their illustrations of a Steppe Eagle less than the ones of GE. E.g. the width of the terminal tail band, and the colouration/contrast of the underwing coverts relative to the secondaries.