Milvus sp. (Spain) (1 Viewer)

S

SLopezM

Sergio López Martín

• Jul 20, 2020

• #1

Hello again. I saw this bird some days ago in a lake in Ávila (Spain). At first, I would say it is Milvus migrans since we are in summer, but when looking closely at the picture I see a M. milvus too (which could be possible too). What do you think?

 

Attachments

• 
  2.jpg

  292.4 KB · Views: 197

tconzemi

Tom

Supporter

• Jul 20, 2020

• #2

uppertail clearly Black Kite

 

PYRTLE

Old Berkshire Boy

• Jul 20, 2020

• #3

Very occasionally I understand that hybridisation can occur, this image suggests that this could well be such an individual. I have only seen one example of this through a series of photos taken a few years back in Cyprus.

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jul 21, 2020

• #4

Many years ago there was a known example from Sweden

Niels

 

tconzemi

Tom

Supporter

• Jul 21, 2020

• #5

PYRTLE said:

Very occasionally I understand that hybridisation can occur, this image suggests that this could well be such an individual. I have only seen one example of this through a series of photos taken a few years back in Cyprus.

Click to expand...

Just because this bird shows some rufous breast feathers???

 

PYRTLE

Old Berkshire Boy

• Jul 21, 2020

• #6

tconzemi said:

Just because this bird shows some rufous breast feathers???

Click to expand...

Moreso the seemingly pale blue grey head ( in direct light ) though I recall seeing some Black Kites in China appearing quite rufous. On probability it is most likely a regular Black Kite, having read the article on the Estonia hybrid

 

Last edited: Jul 21, 2020

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Jul 21, 2020

• #7

Strikingly pale eyes for a Black?

 

Deb Burhinus

Used to be well known! 😎

• Jul 21, 2020

• #8

SLopezM said:

Hello again. I saw this bird some days ago in a lake in Ávila (Spain). At first, I would say it is Milvus migrans[/I

Click to expand...

I would stick with first impression - more grey-headed migrans with varying amounts of rufous and varying iris colour (including light grey) is not unusual. The wingtips look about the same length as the (brown!) tail, in milvus, the tail would clearly extend beyond the wingtips (except perhaps in a juvenile).

 

tconzemi

Tom

Supporter

• Jul 21, 2020

• #9

eye colour and head greying is directly linked to age, first breeding birds still have dark eyes and brown head, both getting lighter with age. Afaik rufous tones are individual characters and more common to the easr but some iberian birds are rufous too

 

Last edited: Jul 21, 2020

Deb Burhinus

Used to be well known! 😎

• Jul 21, 2020

• #10

Although age related as noted above, AFAIK iris colour continues to lighten even for some years after birds reach first adult. The head also continues to get progressively grey as adults age over a number of years so for all intents and purposes, some ‘adults’ can be greyer-headed and paler eyed than others.

 

S

SLopezM

Sergio López Martín

• Jul 21, 2020

• #11

I have to add that the picture was taken during the first hours of the morning, so those red/orange tones could be due to the sunlight of the moment.

Due to the controversy this bird is creating, I am uploading another picture of the same individual. I didn't include it in the initial post since I believed the quality was too low and I thought it woudn't be useful.

 

Attachments

• 
  2.jpg

  146.3 KB · Views: 56

Last edited: Jul 21, 2020

Deb Burhinus

Used to be well known! 😎

• Jul 21, 2020

• #12

There’s no controversy, it’s a Black Kite!

 

S

SLopezM

Sergio López Martín

• Jul 23, 2020

• #13

Thank you all for your answers. Due to your answers and my first impression at the field, I think I will leave it as Milvus migrans.