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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the-norseman" data-source="post: 1961988" data-attributes="member: 90614">The head of the bird on the photo of the underside is clearly angled down which would account for the apparent difference in neck length.  The bill on the 'above' photo looks a lot heavier than that on the 'below' one but again the angle is such that this could easily be the cause of the apparent difference.The argument that as the photos were taken within a minute of each other they must have been of the same bird is plainly a non-starter as two birds, one of each, could easily have been present, especially as we often see different raptor/falcon species together anyway.Apparently Harris Hawks and Common Buzzards - despite belonging to a different genus let alone species, have hybridized in captivity so it would seem biologically possible.I don't see anything in the plumage that rules out this being one bird.  Despite claims to the contrary by some bird-watchers I think we all know it is perfectly possible to confuse one bird for another, an eagle for a buzzard for instance, until we get a clear view, see colours, get the right angle of view etc.  My point is that apparent differences in shape, length of neck, tails, wings etc can all be caused by angle of view, light and such just as easily as by actual differences.If the existance of hybridized Harris Hawk/Buzzards in the area is genuine then an automatic dismissal on the grounds of such a cross-breeding being unlikely (which had been my first thought) can't be employed and we have to focus on incontrovertible differences/similarities to decide - not on 'apparent' differences.Finally as some of us, myself included, are not familiar with Harris Hawk plumage variations, perhaps someone who is, someone who has seen a number of Harris Hawks, can tell us whether this bird shows the characteristics of a hybrid or, as suggested above, of plumage variations within Harris Hawk markings only.</blockquote>

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