Southern African Birds to ID (1 Viewer)

[MariettaBirder]

Now that I've found this forum perhaps someone can help me identify or verify my identification of these birds I photographed in Southern Africa.

The left raptor was taken at Nottens Bush Camp outside Kruger at great distance and heavily cropped accounting for the poor quality. Date: 25 Sept 07

The center-left one was also taken at Nottens, but I couldn't figure out if it's a Collared Flycatcher or Tropical Boubou. Date: 24 Sep 07

I think the center-right one is an Ashy Flycatcher that I shot at the Moremi Reserve in Botswana--is this correct? Date: 2 Oct 07 (Sorry about the poor quality--low light; high zoom.)

I am pretty sure the left one is a Rock Kestrel that I photographed at the Cape of Good Hope--is this correct? I think it was a bit early in the season for it to be a Lesser Kestrel. (The Rock Kestrel is either a species in its own right or a subspecies of the Common/Eurasian Kestrel depending on your source). Date: 21 Sep 07.

Thanks in advance for any help on these.

 

[Bird Hard 2]

I think number 2 is a female Chinspot Batis.

 

[cossypha]

1: If I had to guess it would be a wild stab, but my wild stab would be snake eagle of some kind.

2: agreed with chinspot batis

3:Ashy looks fairly good I think.

4:I think it's rock kestrel, as it seems have speckled underwings

Hope that helps.

Nick

 

[MariettaBirder]

I think number 2 is a female Chinspot Batis.

On closer examination of my photo locally, I agree that it is a Chinspot Batis, however, I noticed a bit of dark-rufous on the breast so I think it's a male

 

[Sal]

On closer examination of my photo locally, I agree that it is a Chinspot Batis, however, I noticed a bit of dark-rufous on the breast so I think it's a male

I think that the male has a purely black band with no rufous colouring at all, so it is more likely to be the female. There is quite a bit of rufous colouring in the wings too, seen more in the Cape Batis.

 

[Tib78]

Hi,

-The raptor on pic 1 could be a Brown snake eagle
-2 Chin-spot batis, female
-3 Ashy flycatcher sounds like a good bet
-4 Most probably a Rock kestrel, but this one looks so similar to Lesser Kestrel on that pic...no shot showing the upper-wings pattern? I don't know if there is any record of Lesser kestrel over-summering in Africa...

 

[MariettaBirder]

I think that the male has a purely black band with no rufous colouring at all, so it is more likely to be the female. There is quite a bit of rufous colouring in the wings too, seen more in the Cape Batis.

My bad--in my book the female was the top picture which isn't the usual order and it caught me out:-(

 

[MariettaBirder]

Hi,

-The raptor on pic 1 could be a Brown snake eagle
-2 Chin-spot batis, female
-3 Ashy flycatcher sounds like a good bet
-4 Most probably a Rock kestrel, but this one looks so similar to Lesser Kestrel on that pic...no shot showing the upper-wings pattern? I don't know if there is any record of Lesser kestrel over-summering in Africa...

1: If I had to guess it would be a wild stab, but my wild stab would be snake eagle of some kind.

2: agreed with chinspot batis

3:Ashy looks fairly good I think.

4:I think it's rock kestrel, as it seems have speckled underwings

Hope that helps.

Nick

Thanks to both of you for your help. I agree that the #1 is probably a Brown Snake-Eagle when I compare it with shots I got of two others, one at the same area and one in Botswana (see combined photo below). These two were identified for me by our guides. I see that the head shapes are the same. What gave me fits was all the white on the head.

For the Kestrel, I'm going with Rock Kestrel because it is the most likely for the time, place and habitat (mountainous & rocky which the end of the cape is). It also has a broad terminal tail band.

Tib78: No, I don't have any of the kestrel's upper side; it was using a strong updraft to hover and drift high over the fenbos which made it just possible to get this photo, which is at 12x optical zoom and then cropped. It drifted out of range without ever diving or flipping over. This is the best shot I got.

 

[Tib78]

Marietta,

The left hand bird is a young Bateleur: very short tail and typical lighter pannel on the wing created by the secondaries.
The right hand bird is a Brown snake eagle indeed...

 

[MariettaBirder]

You've all done so well on my other unknowns perhaps you can id this one. I took it across the Victoria Falls gorge on the Zambia side. These are two photos of the same bird that have been cropped and sharpened. Date: 8 Oct 07

I have tentatively identified it as possibly a Peregrine Falcon. Any ideas?

 

[MariettaBirder]

Marietta,

The left hand bird is a young Bateleur: very short tail and typical lighter pannel on the wing created by the secondaries.
The right hand bird is a Brown snake eagle indeed...

Right you are--thanks again.

 

[Tib78]

Your last bird is a Peregrine indeed.

 

[cossypha]

Yep that's a peregrine.

Nick

 

[MariettaBirder]

Yep that's a peregrine.

Nick

Your last bird is a Peregrine indeed.

Thanks again. I believe that covers my unknowns from Southern Africa. I may have more unknowns this fall after we get back from the Galapagos with a 1-day side tour for me in Quito (where I'll have a birding guide) and a trip to Machu Picchu

 

[cossypha]

Oooh Machu Picchu. Wonderful, I'd love to visit there. Anyway have fun!

 

[Greg McKay]

I agree with the Bataleur and I think the head shape of the first eagle suggest that it maybe also. I have posted a photo of a snake eagle (not a brown one) and unless the head shape varies between my photo and the brown I'm not convinced the original post is of a snake eagle.

 

[Tib78]

Hi Greg,

I think Bateleur is not a good option for the first eagle, take a look at the tail lenght.

 

[Greg McKay]

Hi Tib
Have looked through some more of my photos and have found some adult Battaleurs that also display the short tail and have to agree with you. Not a battaleur

 

[Sal]

Hi Tib
Have looked through some more of my photos and have found some adult Battaleurs that also display the short tail and have to agree with you. Not a battaleur

I'm sure I can see at least one white leg. The size and shape of that head fits a Brown Snake-Eagle too and the BSE does have a proportionally short tail. When perched the bateleur has virtually no visible tail.

 

[AmeliaR]

Thanks to both of you for your help. I agree that the #1 is probably a Brown Snake-Eagle when I compare it with shots I got of two others, one at the same area and one in Botswana (see combined photo below). These two were identified for me by our guides. I see that the head shapes are the same. What gave me fits was all the white on the head.

For the Kestrel, I'm going with Rock Kestrel because it is the most likely for the time, place and habitat (mountainous & rocky which the end of the cape is). It also has a broad terminal tail band.

Tib78: No, I don't have any of the kestrel's upper side; it was using a strong updraft to hover and drift high over the fenbos which made it just possible to get this photo, which is at 12x optical zoom and then cropped. It drifted out of range without ever diving or flipping over. This is the best shot I got.

Hi Marietta
If the bird on the left has a hind crest it could possibly be a Bat Hawk? At rest the wing tips protrude past the tail.
Regards
Amelia