male Pallid Harrier Marievale Bird Sanctuary South Africa Oct (1 Viewer)

[49bentley]

Can someone please confirm this to be a male Pallid Harrier? Taken in Marievale Bird Sanctuary South Africa Oct
Thanks
Chris

 

[Butty]

Black-shouldered kite

 

[49bentley]

Thanks Butty.

 

[lockbreeze926]

Great capture in the bird-with-prey category!

Pallid Harrier would be much bigger, noticeably slender (irrespective of overall size perception), much longer-tailed and pale-faced/shouldered. Would also, I think, be unlikely/rare, whereas Black-winged Kite (or Black-shouldered, according to taxonomic taste) is common in RSA.

 

[Bewick]

The black shouldered is much like the North American white-tailed kite, while the pallid harrier is similar to your northern harrier.

 

[49bentley]

Thanks Lockbreeze926 and Bewick.