Pallid or Montagu's Harrier ID (1 Viewer)

F

FabK

New member

• May 11, 2010

• #1

Hi
Would appreciate feedback about this tricky 3CY female Harrier. Pictures taken last week-end in the north-west of Switzerland.

Thanks for your comments.

 

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Happisbirder

Always looking, seldom finding...

• May 11, 2010

• #2

Compare with photo #3 in this post. Your bird doesn't show a nice 'collar' and appears rather plain on the underparts for a bird of this age, so would err towards Montagu's...

James

 

mäkpe

Well-known member

• May 11, 2010

• #3

Pallid doesn't have so striking collar always; http://tarsiger.com/gallery/index.php?pic_id=muu1253647508&lang=fin

Your bird is still Montagus.

 

C

CAU

Well-known member

• May 11, 2010

• #4

I agree on Montagu's Harrier. To me it looks more like 2cy than 3cy (it has moulted the body feathers and underwing coverts, but the remiges look still juvenile, as the secondaries are very dark both below and above).

 

gropperwinch

Well-known member

• May 11, 2010

• #5

wont' dare attempt ageing it, but yes this is a pretty clear-cut Monty's. Welcome to Birdforum!

 

G

gvla

Active member

• May 11, 2010

• #6

2cy Montagus for me

 

T

tittletattler

Well-known member

• May 11, 2010

• #7

CAU said:

I agree on Montagu's Harrier. To me it looks more like 2cy than 3cy (it has moulted the body feathers and underwing coverts, but the remiges look still juvenile, as the secondaries are very dark both below and above).

Click to expand...

Also has a 'long hand' compared to the arm which rules out Pallid.

But note that some 2nd calendar Montagu's can look shorter winged so not always a good feature, apparently.

Cheers,

Andy.

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 11, 2010

• #8

In two of the pics, am I guilty of 'creative observation', or can a hint of barred second generation axilliaries be seen, which would be diagnostic of Montagu's vis-a-vis Pallid...?
It certainly looks like a 2cy bird to me also, for reasons stated by CAU.
Regards,
Harry