Forest or Steppe Buzzard (1 Viewer)

would be grateful if I could get an ID confirm on this - posted in ID section but no response yet - so I thought maybe this section could ID

Western Cape South Africa

my ID was Forest Buzzard, (Buteo trizonatus) - but does the barred chest make it a Steppe

Habitat was "forest" although it is perched on a telegraph pole

I would have said Steppe Buzzard because of the barring on the belly. Steppe Buzzards are often found on the edge of forested areas and love telegraph poles, from which they take off and fly upward, whereas the Forest Buzzards are found more often on the margin of the forest perched in a tree and seem to take off and drop a little as they fly back into the trees.

Personally, I think it could pass as either with those photos. The bird appears quite bulky, as one would expect from a Forest Buzzard, and that is a lot of white on the chest, the amount that would be typical for Forest, though not unseen in Steppes either. The main thing though is the coverts, they are extremely light for a Steppe Buzzard, don't get me wrong - I've seen a few Steppes with very light coverts too, but it is definitely seen far more in Forest Buzzards. That type of covert pattern where the brown only extends a bit from the body. Also seen quite a few Forest Buzzards using telephone poles within the forest.

Personally, it looks like a Forest, but definitely wouldn't count out Steppe as possible.