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Long-legged Buzzard? Alentejo Portugal (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Bert
- Start date
Steve Lister
Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.
What made you suspect it was Long-legged ?
Steve
Steve
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
I was under the impression that even the darkest Commons, had a more obvious, whitish patagial bar?
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Bert
Birdwatchingalentejo.com
Photo 1, although not the best photo, shows clearly white patches on upperwing.
Also the white spots/line in the dark part of the underwing and lacking the whitish patagial bar.
Hence my doubts.
Bert
Bert
Birdwatchingalentejo.com
Well, I did have here the Kumlien´s Gull confirmed, 2 different years Steppe Eagle confirmed, every winter several Caspian Terns, Robins and Greylag Goose are breeding here now, all things that should not happen, but do happen. Looks to me there will be more changes in the future.
Simon Wates
Well-known member
Bert, although Robin is an abundant winter visitor to your/my area, there is (and always has been) a solid breeding population in south west Portugal. They are somewhat more discreet than our winter visitors and breed mainly in shady areas in Oak woodland. The Greylag is interesting, though there is a breeding pop in Doñana, apparently derived from winter visiting wild birds.
The accepted records of (Atlas) Long-legged Buzzard in Portugal have always been pale birds, and of classic appearance. It seems that there are hybrids with Common Buzzards (often nicknamed "Gibraltar Buzzard"), especially in the Alentejo region. This makes it a complicated matter! I'm not suggesting your bird may be a hybrid, Tom is right on the button with the comment about dark birds being of the east.
"The" Steppe Eagle is still around I think - and sighting of a possible second bird (?).
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
The absence of a patagial bar wasn't addressed, Tom?
Very dark Common Buzzards will hardly show any lighter medium coverts (I guess that is what you mean by patagial bar?) and almost no light breast band. Still there seems to be a few lighter feathers (barred) on both places but you need even better pics to be sure
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
I'm getting my terms wrong again!
Median, I think you meant that rather than 'medium' feathers are on the upper wing but I'm referring to the white bar which is usually obvious on the underwing of Common Buzzard, highlighter here in pink though it's not a Buzzard in the illustration.
https://www.thespruce.com/thmb/tWZx...)/wing-structure-58a6e29b3df78c345b6145ae.jpg
Patagial is the leading edge of the wing so I was wrong on that, apologies.
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Simon Wates
Well-known member
As an aside, Buteo rufinus rufinus hasn't been recorded in Iberia AFAIK., only B.r.cirtensis. However, as has been extensively discussed on BF, this taxon may well be closer to B.buteo.
The structure of the bird in Bert's photo doesn't convey any kind of rufinus to my eye. (unreliable as it may be
).
The structure of the bird in Bert's photo doesn't convey any kind of rufinus to my eye. (unreliable as it may be
).
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
Yes sorry Bert fixed.
