Raptor - Algerian Sahara (1 Viewer)

Hi, I'm working out here and have no literature with me on the birdlife and the google is very patchy on this part of the world.

Hunting on the airstrip a couple of days ago, and above a strip of trees yesterday a large (buzzard, small eagle, large harrier) sized bird was hunting.

Fingered wings, converse shape to spread to tail feathers, patchy light grey/black colouring on wings and back. Hunting just above tree height, focusing along an area then making a large arc and doing the same thing starting about 100 yards back. Gliding while hunting, slow wingbeats while arcing. Hunting with the sun at it's back.

Saw it from above while landing and in silhouette from the ground, so no further details.

Is it possible for anyone to give any ideas what it might be, and what I might look out for in any future observations?

Thanks as always.

In between all the hard work this morning :smoke: I managed to find a Western Sahara checklist. Have whittled it down to the following possibilities,

Black Kite Milvus migrans maybe, but did not fly like a kite.
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus Maybe
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus Most like
Booted Eagle Aquila pennata Possible Pale, perhaps not big enough.

Normally I'd have looked at the Monty's picture and said 'yeah, that's it' but it flew unlike any Harrier I've seen. Much more like a Buzzard. Is this a Montague characteristic?

Obviously I'll get a better look before I claim to have seen one, just very intriguing, as there's really not much alive here at all with less than six legs.

What about Long-legged Buzzard?

David

Sub-adult male Marsh Harrier could be added to the possibilities, they do winter in that region I believe and description fits

Ah. Both possibilities. Thanks very much. Just hope I see it again now!

Both Montagu's and Pallid harrier are reasonnably common in the sahelian belt in Northern Burkina Faso (not so far of Southern Algeria). I think even Hen Harrier can be added to the possibilities: there have been severals sightings in Mauritania, so why not in Algeria?

Tib78 said:

Both Montagu's and Pallid harrier are reasonnably common in the sahelian belt in Northern Burkina Faso (not so far of Southern Algeria). I think even Hen Harrier can be added to the possibilities: there have been severals sightings in Mauritania, so why not in Algeria?

Click to expand...

I'd love it to be Pallid, but I don't think so. I spoke with our environmental engineer over lunch and she thinks either black kite or Montagues, both are quite problematic on airstrips around here as they don't seem to recognise our little planes as something to fear. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a kite of any sort, it just didn't have that 'bird on a string' thing to its flight. It also did have a back that could most easily be Montagues. Will see. Plenty of things I can eliminate now.

Anyway, it's an excellent excuse for me to go for walks until I see it again.

:t: