Namibia - Black Kite/Yellow Billed Kite (1 Viewer)

[Jacob12]

Hi everyone,

I need some help with this bird that I photographed in MARCH of this year at Waterberg in Namibia. It's clearly a Black Kite, but in Southern Africa this sp. is split into Yellow Billed and Black (eBird still treats as subspecies).

The black bill tip means that it's either a Black Kite (Black) or juv Yellow Billed. I lean toward Black Kite (Black) due to what I perceive to be a squared tail. However, I don't have a lot of experience with this species and would appreciate input since Black Kite (Black) seems to actually be somewhat uncommon down here. If I had a clear shot of the eye, that would sort this out, but I don't think any of the photos definitively capture a dark/yellow eye?

Apparently, there is a difference in the sixth finger as well, but I don't really know how to interpret that.

I've attached a lot of photos at various angles, but they are all the same individual

 

[Butty]

I lean toward Black Kite (Black) due to what I perceive to be a squared tail.

I don't follow what your logic is there, I'm afraid.
Tail-shape is normal for a young black (yellow-billed or whatever) kite - possibly also an actively-moulting bird.

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

Definitely Yellow-billed Kite : 5 long "fingers" (6 in Black Kite) and already too much yellow on beak for Black Kite.

 

[MacNara]

Definitely Yellow-billed Kite : 5 long "fingers" (6 in Black Kite) and already too much yellow on beak for Black Kite.

Is this really an accepted thing?

Attached:

Black-eared Kite from Japan - six 'long-ish' fingers

Yellow-billed (as could be) Kite from Kwara in Botswana - I think six very clear long fingers on this bird

 

[tconzemi]

Is this really an accepted thing?

Attached:

Black-eared Kite from Japan - six 'long-ish' fingers

Yellow-billed (as could be) Kite from Kwara in Botswana - I think six very clear long fingers on this bird

Reality is:
5 fingers: Yellow-billed
6 fingers: Black or Yellow-billed

 

[MacNara]

Reality is:
5 fingers: Yellow-billed
6 fingers: Black or Yellow-billed

So is there going to be a split between the two variants of Yellow-billed?

 

[MacNara]

Three more different birds from Botswana

 

[njlarsen]

Three more different birds from Botswana

View attachment 1479636View attachment 1479637View attachment 1479638

My interpretation: 5 noticeably free in no 1, 6 in no 2, difficult angle in no 3.
Niels

 

[smiths]

Photo 2 in post #4 shows a bird in primary moult;
P7 is missing, hence why P6 protrudes this obviously.

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

Is this really an accepted thing?

Attached:

Black-eared Kite from Japan - six 'long-ish' fingers

Yellow-billed (as could be) Kite from Kwara in Botswana - I think six very clear long fingers on this bird

View attachment 1479622View attachment 1479623

Yes, it works for, at least, 99,99% of cases (exceptions always exist) as I've notice in thousands of birds seen in Africa. Black-(eared) Kite has 6 long fingers, so your bird is totally normal. The perched Yellow-billed Kite you are showing us has two problems. We don't see the tip of te 6th feather, so difficult to tell if it is long or short ; I'm not sure if sun-bathing perched bird would show the exact same shape as a flying bird...