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Topic: Upland Buzzard 大鵟 (Qinghai 青海) (Read 2682 times) |
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Koel_Ko
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Re: Upland Buzzard 大鵟 in Qinghai 青海
« Reply #1 on: Jun 21st, 2004, 5:56pm » |
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Dear Fai Gor,
These wonderful photos mystify me a bit...
I have a few questions for you please:
1. Immature Buzzards have pale iris - But is that a reliable feature for Upland Buzzard as well?
2. Can plumage characters be used to distinguish Upland from Common?
3. How do we tell Upland apart from Common in flight?
4. Are there any behavioural difference between the two species that can be readily observed and used to distinguish the two?
Thank you in advance for the explanations!
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Mike Turnbull
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Re: Upland Buzzard 大鵟 in Qinghai 青海
« Reply #2 on: Jun 22nd, 2004, 11:06am » |
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This is a very interesting series of shots, and Koel's questions will certainly set me doing a bit of investigative work.
However, surely the first bird is an aquila eagle of some description - Steppe Eagle?.
Mike
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HF_Cheung
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Re: Upland Buzzard 大鵟 in Qinghai 青海
« Reply #3 on: Jun 24th, 2004, 2:29pm » |
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Dear Koel,
The most significant difference is that Upland Buzzard has white tail, and often have pale rufous edge to the tail tip. Another feature is that there is a large white patch near the upper wing tip. So in filght, the three white patches on the upper parts (the tail plus one near each wing tip) is very different to Common Buzzard.
There are very few information in field guides on Upland Buzzard. Aging is certainly the most difficult parts. I am not 100% certain on the aging, but the view I presented is originated from the view of Prof LX Li, who is a ornithologist working in Qinghai for a long time. I am aware that the iris colour is different for different age of Common Buzzard (ref: the book on Middle East Raptors). I don't know whether it can be equally applied to other Buzzards. I have assigned pale iris birds as adult, and dark iris birds as immature. One of the objectives of putting this up on the web is to start a discussion on this topic.
Note that the first bird (labelled dark phase adult) have a white tail. I have no impression of the bird having a large bill. So I am pretty sure that it is a Buzzard.
HF Cheung
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junglej
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Re: Upland Buzzard 大鵟 (Qinghai 青海)
« Reply #4 on: Feb 2nd, 2006, 4:51pm » |
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Very interesting set of photos. Re Mike T's post, no, the dark bird is not a Steppe Eagle (nor other Aquila), as HFC has already pointed out, it is indeed Upland Buzzard. The Steppe Eagle has a huge grinning yellow gape at all stages & ages, stretching to at least the back of the eye, or beyond, and is therefor easily recognizable (every Steppe Eagle I've seen shows this feature, and I've seen many hundreds if not thousands, admittedly mostly from the western parts of their range). 
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miket
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Re: Upland Buzzard 大鵟 (Qinghai 青海)
« Reply #5 on: Feb 2nd, 2006, 9:15pm » |
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God, I'd forgotten all about this one.
Thanks for bringing it back to attention JungleJ. You really are snapping at my heels today
Think I already accepted Ho Fai's confirmation that it was indeed UB, but looking at it again is a good reminder, especially as it is a species we hope may wander to HK one day.
Mike Turnbull
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junglej
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Re: Upland Buzzard 大鵟 (Qinghai 青海)
« Reply #6 on: Feb 4th, 2006, 1:27pm » |
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Sorry Mike, did not mean to offend. I actually posted this one months ago but the original post got lost in the hacking incident and I did not bother to re-post it till yesterday when I referred to it and realized the original message post was not there any more. Yep, apart from the gape feature the bird is buzzard-headed. Cheers and best wishes - JJ 
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Hendrix
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Re: Upland Buzzard 大鵟 (Qinghai 青海)
« Reply #7 on: Feb 6th, 2006, 11:36pm » |
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is this the same kind of Buzzard ?
Shandong near out let of yellow river 山東近黃河口
4/2/06
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www.look.hk welcome you 
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junglej
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Re: Upland Buzzard 大鵟 (Qinghai 青海)
« Reply #8 on: Feb 18th, 2006, 4:42pm » |
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Great pix Hendrix; yes, it is. Note the partial leg feathering and pale upper-wing patch as well as whitish-background upper tail. Tail is quite heavily barred as the bird is prob a juvenile (1st year). Leg feathering is variable but most Uplands seem to show at least some.
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