African raptor help needed please (1 Viewer)

talbotbrooks · Apr 10, 2020

Greetings!

I spied this raptor perched in a tree along the banks of the Letaba River 1km north of the Letaba Rest Camp in Kruger National Park on 11 March 2020 at approximately 18:30. The extension of the yellow on its bill back to the eyes, short tail feathers, and lack of feathers further down its legs is throwing me - otherwise I'd think it was a lesser spotted eagle - it's about the same size.

Valéry Schollaert · Apr 10, 2020

Young Bateleur.

Andy Hurley · Apr 10, 2020

Valéry Schollaert said:
Young Bateleur.

Agreed, a sub-adult

Valéry Schollaert · Apr 10, 2020

Andy Hurley said:
Agreed, a sub-adult

Much young that sub-adult IMO, I'd call it juvenile, may be 2cy. It takes 7 years to be adult.

Andy Hurley · Apr 11, 2020

Valéry Schollaert said:
Much young that sub-adult IMO, I'd call it juvenile, may be 2cy. It takes 7 years to be adult.

It has the pale wing panel and yellow bill

Such a bird is depicted as sub-adult in the SASOL

Strange, as sexual diamorphism starts in the 4th year

Valéry Schollaert · Apr 11, 2020

Andy Hurley said:
It has the pale wing panel and yellow bill

Such a bird is depicted as sub-adult in the SASOL

Strange, as sexual diamorphism starts in the 4th year

Yes, this is a 4cy+ bird, male, but still probably too young to be called sub-adult.

Andy Hurley · Apr 16, 2020

Valéry Schollaert said:
Yes, this is a 4cy+ bird, male, but still probably too young to be called sub-adult.

Thanks Valéry. So sub-adult is the final year before adulthood?

Valéry Schollaert · Apr 16, 2020

Andy Hurley said:
Thanks Valéry. So sub-adult is the final year before adulthood?

This is how I understand it : "almost adult", adult type with a few remaining feathers or bare part colour as immature. I guess we might probably find different definitions in different references though.

Andy Hurley · Apr 16, 2020

Valéry Schollaert said:
This is how I understand it : "almost adult", adult type with a few remaining feathers or bare part colour as immature. I guess we might probably find different definitions in different references though.

Yes probably. They all have their own definitions. It shows their importance

Thanks again Valéry

njlarsen · Apr 17, 2020

And there are those who feel that juvenile should be reserved for the very first set of feathers a bird has and that with the next set the bird is already in adult plumage or is an immature.

Niels

Valéry Schollaert · Apr 17, 2020

njlarsen said:
And there are those who feel that juvenile should be reserved for the very first set of feathers a bird has and that with the next set the bird is already in adult plumage or is an immature.

Niels

Yes, juvenile is usually very clear, it is the very first plumage, before the first moult. In raptors, it can be confusing because the moult can last months or even years. Is it juvenile until the first feather felt down or until the first plumage is totally moulted ? That's the usual point of disagreement about juveniles.

I usually consider juveniles to the start of the moult only, then call moulting ones as being "in post-juvenile moult"

African raptor help needed please (1 Viewer)

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