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Unknown bird of prey (Slovakia) (1 Viewer)

Carpathian Ed

Carpathian Ed

Well-known member
Hi. This one is from a couple of years back (2017) but I'm still unsure on identification. I took it while on our regular evening walk in NE Slovakia. It's a fairly large bird of prey. Sorry the photo isn't better (story of my life...). I'm presuming it's a Saker Falcon. It's the only one I've ever seen here.
 

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Hi Daniel
I hadn't even considered that but after looking at images on Google it's a very likely possibility - the bird was quite large. What led me to the Saker falcon conclusion was the faint downward stripe from the inner eye as seen in most falcons.
I've just read this on it also - https://www.researchgate.net/public...o_rufinus_in_Slovakia_in_the_past_and_present.
We have such an immensely diverse population of birds and animals native to the area, plus we get every species crossing north-south and east-west, so it's often quite hard to identify species when there are just minute deviations in colour, size, etc.
I'd say good call that man!
 
Carpathian Ed said:
Hi Daniel
I hadn't even considered that but after looking at images on Google it's a very likely possibility - the bird was quite large. What led me to the Saker falcon conclusion was the faint downward stripe from the inner eye as seen in most falcons.
I've just read this on it also - https://www.researchgate.net/public...o_rufinus_in_Slovakia_in_the_past_and_present.
We have such an immensely diverse population of birds and animals native to the area, plus we get every species crossing north-south and east-west, so it's often quite hard to identify species when there are just minute deviations in colour, size, etc.
I'd say good call that man!
Click to expand...

No problem, though I must agree with The Fern and Tom - Common buzzard can't be ruled out from this image - I've seen a few cream/buff individuals in the UK which were almost approaching Long legged in terms of colouration.
It sounds wonderful, you are lucky to live in such a beautiful country with such a variety of birds and habitats!
 
we'll stick with buteo :)
Buzzards are ten a penny here, which is why this one confused me greatly as I've never seen one like it - it doesn't resemble anything local.
I'm a firm believer that if a bird can't be completely identified and have supporting photographic evidence then it might as well have been a unicorn....
 
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