canberrabirds

Confusing local raptors

To: "Philip Veerman" <>, <>
Subject: Confusing local raptors
From: "Ruskies" <>
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 21:41:07 +1000
Hi! Philip
You forgot to mention the paler phase of the Brown Falcon and the Kestrel ,perched , and all puffed up on a cold winter morning. In regard to the Brown Goshawk and the C. Sparrowhawk which most people have difficulty identifying it helps to remember that the B(roun) Goshawk has the B(round) tail
.
Cheers
Bob Rusk
 
 
 
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Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 8:45 PM
Subject: [canberrabirds] Confusing local raptors

Extending a bit on Jack's talk to COG last night, I thought I'd offer this:
 
Of the ACT raptors, I suggest this is the list of the pairwise combinations that are potentially difficult to identify. I have ranked them from the most to the least difficult (indeed the really quite easy). The sequence depends a lot on whether it is males or females (in the case of when the size of the birds is a feature), whether they are perched or flying, seen from above (behind), front (below) and the conditions etc. Identification mistakes between all of these do occur, although only the first three to five of them require a specific small set of distinctions to be made. The rest have many features of separation. There is plenty of information in the Field Guides although Taylor's one is a bit light and needs supplementing by other ones, on the difficult choices.
 
Brown Goshawk - Collared Sparrowhawk
Spotted Harrier - Swamp Harrier (especially the juveniles of both)
Peregrine Falcon - Australian Hobby
Little Eagle (pale form) - Whistling Kite
Little Eagle (dark form) - Black Kite
White-bellied Sea-Eagle - Wedge-tailed Eagle (especially the juveniles of WBSE)
Brown Falcon - Black Falcon
Peregrine Falcon - Black Falcon
Nankeen Kestrel - Australian Hobby (especially if identified mainly on calls)
Nankeen Kestrel - Black-shouldered Kite
Whistling Kite - Black Kite
Brown Falcon - Peregrine Falcon
Brown Falcon - Brown Goshawk
Black-shouldered Kite - Grey Goshawk
 
Philip


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