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is it a harrier?

Harrier at Mai Po this week

Yes, it’s a Harrier.   Harrier species are often difficult to identify.

Eastern Marsh Harrier (EMH) is our “default” Harrier, but Pied Harrier can be expected as a passage migrant in October.

Here are two shots of what I think may be the same bird, taken at Mai Po today.

An adult - or almost adult - male EMH would have a lot of white below, as seen on this bird, but should show a plain, grey tail. Females and juvenile EMH are brown and barred underneath.

Full adult male Pied Harrier is very distinctive, but the female shows

“Whitish underwing and rear underbody, greyish patches on upper primaries and a barred tail” (Viney,Phillipps and Lam, “The Birds of HK and South China”,2005).

So for me this is an adult female Pied Harrier.  (But I’d welcome further comment or correction !)

Attachment

Harrier_M4A3761.jpg (68.12 KB)

9/10/2015 13:44

Good light

Harrier_M4A3761.jpg

Harrier_M4A3815.jpg (45.06 KB)

9/10/2015 13:44

Bad light

Harrier_M4A3815.jpg

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