• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Hen or Pied Harrier? (1 Viewer)

Jason Bugay Reyes

Well-known member
Malaysia
Anyone got idea of this Harrier? It was taken at Kota Belud and usually we got the Eastern Marsh Harrier as the common winter visitor from North Asia. Screenshot 2021-11-22 at 8.01.04 PM.png
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2021-11-22 at 8.11.08 PM.png
    Screenshot 2021-11-22 at 8.11.08 PM.png
    3.5 MB · Views: 27
  • Screenshot 2021-11-22 at 10.27.40 PM.png
    Screenshot 2021-11-22 at 10.27.40 PM.png
    2.1 MB · Views: 25
Hello,

not a confident answer, but: maybe its better to post this in the Bird Identification Q&A-section? You may get faster and more answers.
Regarding the ID: it doesnt look like a Hen Harrier from Europe to me. At first I thought it looks quite similar to a Marsh Harrier from Europe=Western MH
A narrow white band across the upper-tail-coverts is no problem for this.

Conclusion? Does this mean, I think its an Eastern Marsh Harrier? No, I havent experience with it or Pied Harrier. And my first thought, after seeing the pictures was: why has this "Marsh Harrier-looking" bird such distinct, broad and even barring to the tail?
So my only wish (not just this year, but all the time) is that others jump in and as said, this thread is better placed in the ID-forum, I think.

 
If I saw this bird on the Cheshire coast (northwest of England) I would’ve have written Marsh Harrier in my note book. Typical of the birds I see and have seen in Britain and Western Europe.
I know that isn’t especially helpful to you but I have no experience with Eastern Marsh Harrier.
 
Last edited:
Like the others, I don't have field experience with Eastern Marsh Harrier or Pied Harrier, however going by the literature as well as my experience with Western Marsh and Hen Harrier, I'd say juvenile Eastern Marsh Harrier seems like a good bet, given the somewhat irregular patterning on the upper side as well as the overall structure (although the seemingly narrow hand looks a bit suspicious). According to Birds of the Indian Subcontinent, the species can show a narrow white "rump" (reminiscent of the smaller harrier species).
Pretty sure Hen Harrier can be ruled out; the only other contender would be Pied Harrier, but that one should have a more uniformly brown dorsal side and more pronounced white uppertail coverts.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 2 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top