Mystery Bird of Prey, Nairobi KE (2 Viewers)

[T.O.]

April 2016 I photographed this bird of prey in a garden just west of Nairobi at an altitude of roughly 2000 metres. It clearly is not one of the resident Mountain Buzzards, but it's real ID has puzzled me. I initially identified it as a Steppe Buzzard (Buteo buteo vulpinus), but this ID has since been questioned, though I cannot find a good alternative, an immature snake eagle would come closest, but also doesn't really fit imo. Suggestions are welcome!

 

[njlarsen]

I feel I see bare yellow skin between eye and bill, so harrier-hawk?
Niels

 

[tconzemi]

I feel I see bare yellow skin between eye and bill, so harrier-hawk?
Niels

Good call: two toned bill and just visible tail barring would confirm this. Still very difficult as posture is not classical at all

 

[T.O.]

Thank you, that might fit indeed. Feels foolish to be fooled by such a relatively familiar species. But going through online images, their posture is quite often not classical, which completely changes their appearance...

 

[Andy Adcock]

Good call: two toned bill and just visible tail barring would confirm this. Still very difficult as posture is not classical at all

Too plain looking for a juv no, and look at those thick legs?

 

[michael-ibk]

An immature Augur Buzzard?

 

[Andy Adcock]

It also has a pale eye, structure is much better for the Buzzard IMHO.

 

[Butty]

Too plain looking for a juv no

No, that's fine.

structure is much better for the Buzzard

Bill too big?
Ed. - I meant for the original suggestion of common/steppe buzzard. Bill-size might be ok for augur buzzard. No, probably still a bit too big.

 

[Andy Adcock]

No, that's fine.


Bill too big?
Ed. - I meant for the original suggestion of common/steppe buzzard. Bill-size might be ok for augur buzzard. No, probably still a bit too big.

The eye?

 

[njlarsen]

Would a buzzard have this much yellow in the loral area?

 

[michael-ibk]

But is that really yellow skin? Or just lighter-coloured feathers? Compare with this:

ML209241691 - Augur Buzzard (Augur) - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML209241691; © Diane Drobka; Arusha, Tanzania

macaulaylibrary.org

 

[tconzemi]

The eye?

The eye is pretty light indeed, I found a few young AHH with light iris, the OP (now magnified by njlarsen even shows 2 catchlights which make the eye even look lighter)
The barring of the tail is really difficult to assess but looks better for AHH than Buteo
There are some juvenile which are completely brown and yes, this bicoloured bill (cere, parts of upper bill and half of lower bill) is pretty typical for AHH

https://flic.kr/p/V6eUah

African Bird Club

 

[tconzemi]

There is another huge difference between a Buteo and and AHH, Buteo has a round and very obvious nostril, whereas AHH has merely a slit (even smaller than in EHB). I guess a buteo-nostril should easily be recognizable in the first pic

 

[tconzemi]

That said, the bird still looks very much Buteo to my eyes

 

[Andy Adcock]

The OP seems to me to not have the typical small headed, long necked look of AHH.

 

[Butty]

The OP seems to me to not have the typical small headed, long necked look of AHH

I do hope he doesn't, poor chap.

Urban Dictionary: OP

None

www.urbandictionary.com

 

[dantheman]

I do hope he doesn't, poor chap.

Urban Dictionary: OP

None

www.urbandictionary.com

Hope not indeed!!

I take OP on these threads to mean either Original Poster or Original Post, depending on circumstance.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Hope not indeed!!

I take OP on these threads to mean either Original Poster or Original Post, depending on circumstance.

As almost everyone knows.