Crested Serpent or Kinabalu (Mountain) Serpent Eagle? Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo (1 Viewer)

[dixonlau]

Date: 15-Oct-2021
Location: Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia

It flew over a local park. This town, Sibu is considered low land area and far away from Sabah. It would be little unusual seeing Kinabalu Serpent Eagle (Mountain Serpent Eagle) in this area. Based on its wings' white pattern, it is little different compare to Crested but I maybe wrong using this as comparison. Also the body appeared darker. Both pic below were same eagle (one seen only).





This photo I purposely increase the brightness and shadow so can see the underneath better.



Thanks for any help.

 

[Andy Hurley]

Hi Dixonlau,

this looks like a Crested Serpent Eagle to me. Looking at the Raptors of the World by James Ferguson-Lee et al, I think the Mountain Serpent Eagle has a much broader set of inside pale wing lines which goes much deeper than the CSE File:Mountain Serpent Egle.jpg - BirdForum Opus | BirdForum. See File:21262208666 29d31d5b6e b.jpg - BirdForum Opus | BirdForum for photo of CSE. I have no direct experience of this bird, so others with more experience might like to comment.

 

[andyb39]

It's a Crested Serpent Eagle indeed. Mountain Serpent Eagle is darker and broader-winged, with a simple, contrasting underwing pattern consisting of solid dark coverts, a broad, well-defined white band at the base of the flight feathers and a broad black trailing edge. The black terminal and basal bands are broader and contrast more with the clean white mid-section of the tail. Overall a rather pied-looking bird. It would also be highly improbable at this location.

 

[dixonlau]

Thank you @Andy Hurley @andyb39.

 

[James Eaton]

In addition, Mountain Serpent Eagle has black underwing coverts with white posting, not pale brown/grey.

 

[dixonlau]

In addition, Mountain Serpent Eagle has black underwing coverts with white posting, not pale brown/grey.

Awesome. Thanks @James Eaton

 

[Andy Adcock]

In addition, Mountain Serpent Eagle has black underwing coverts with white posting, not pale brown/grey.

Perhaps 'spotting'?

 

[Butty]

Perhaps 'spotting'?

Hope so. I was fighting for a typo-explanation of that 👍🏻