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more from India (1 Viewer)

monkir

Well-known member
Having got such comprehensive replies last time I thought I would post a few more from our India trips that I am not sure of.

a) ? Honey Buzzard - Rann of Kutch Gujarat.
b) ? Indian Bush Lark - Gujarat
c) ? Oriental Honey Buzzard. - Rajasthan
d) Vultures Rajasthan. I know the one on the left is an Egyptian Vulture - not sure of the other two.
 

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The other two are Indian Vultures Gyps indicus Once called Long-Billed Vultures.. The Long-billed and Slender-billed Gyps tenuirostis were said to be the same species at one time.. but the two not only look different their breeding habits are completely different too.. They say Slender-billed always nest in trees and Indian nest in the Mountains..
Is that a Tawny/Steppes eagle at the bottom??
 
Are you sure about that? I know the Indian or Long-billed Vultures are resident and Eurasian Griffon are winter visitors to the area, but these birds look more like the latter to me. They're immatures, which is why they don't have the white ruff of an adult. They both have clean, tawny or "fulvescent" plumage compared to the streaked, "layered", sandy-brown plumage of Long-billed/Indian. They also have stout, all-dark bills, plump snow-white necks (compared to the skinny, dirty-white neck of Long-billed) and tawny-coloured "trousers" (should be off-white in Long-billed). I've attached images (Long-billed on the left, Griff on the right).

I didn't notice the eagle below.
 

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Are you sure about that? I know the Indian or Long-billed Vultures are resident and Eurasian Griffon are winter visitors to the area, but these birds look more like the latter to me. They're immatures, which is why they don't have the white ruff of an adult. They both have clean, tawny or "fulvescent" plumage compared to the streaked, "layered", sandy-brown plumage of Long-billed/Indian. They also have stout, all-dark bills, plump snow-white necks (compared to the skinny, dirty-white neck of Long-billed) and tawny-coloured "trousers" (should be off-white in Long-billed). I've attached images (Long-billed on the left, Griff on the right).

I didn't notice the eagle below.
That was my first thought Andy... Eurasian Griffon.. My ID was based on location... Given as you say they are visitors to the area I think your probably right...
 
Thanks for clearing up the Vultures - I agree on the Griffon after seeing the two pictures Andy posted. I am still uncertain - like Gladiator - on the first ? Honey Buzzard but what else could it be? Any suggestions?
 
Thanks for clearing up the Vultures - I agree on the Griffon after seeing the two pictures Andy posted. I am still uncertain - like Gladiator - on the first ? Honey Buzzard but what else could it be? Any suggestions?

looks more like a Buteo spp. to me but I don't know what species there are in India.
 
According to the checklist for Rann of Kutch, the only Buteospecies that occur are Common/Eurasian (this might include Himalayan) and Long-legged. I think we can rule out Long-legged straight away. The similar but larger Upland Buzzard would be way out of range here, the habitat would be atypical and it looks completely different to this bird. I'm not sure Himalayan would occur here either - it's on the Gujarat checklist but probably in a different area - and should have a dark patch on either side of the belly and clean white undertail coverts, both missing in this bird.

I found one image of a Buteo photographed at Samkhiyali, which is in Kutch district. It has similar heavy rufous barring on the trousers, lower belly and undertail coverts, but has the dark area at the side of the belly and also lacks the sharply demarcated white throat of Monkir's bird.

http://www.hbw.com/ibc/photo/eurasi...yan-eurasian-buzzard-taken-samakhiali-gujarat

The contrast between dark cheeks and white throat is the main reason why I went for OHB. This is the closest I can get to Monkir's bird - the pattern of barring is similar:

http://birdsofgujarat.co.in/img/Upload/photo/iLGDdhDfTw_Oriental Honey-buzzard.jpg

Lots of images from Gujarat here:

http://birdsofgujarat.co.in/all_bird_detail.php?name=Oriental Honey-buzzard
 
Although the legs and feet are obscured this bird looks too long in the leg for a Honey Buzzard or a OHB.. I'd go with a juv Buteo on this alone.. Small bill points to a male.. Either Common or Long-legged... Probably Common..
 
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Thank you for all the input. Still not completely convinced. Have emailed pic now to a man I know in India who is quite knowledgeable about Rann of Kutch. If I get a reply I will report back to this thread.
 
We got a reply from our friend in Gujarat. This is what he said.......
Dear John

It was interesting challenge you threw -- yes it was a difficult way out -- the bird raised questions after questions. I discussed with a colleague who did a book on Indian raptors a decade ago but he said that the photo was of poor quality. That book of mine I gave some months ago to a forester doing his PhD on raptors.*Another colleague gave a walk over. The third one opined it to be the Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus), which I had suspected but was in a quandary? It is*in a phase not usually observed since this bird is strikingly known for the white and pale head and upper front portions. The bill, eyes, legs (yellowish) enabled. One photo of 14 Jan 2017 at Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh (not a Buzzard country -- shows how deforestation is occurring and grass land open country appearing up) is probably the nearest to one you took, being sent along with.

Hope you enjoy.

Regards.

Harsh
 
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