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Topic: Oriental Honey Buzzard 鳳頭蜂鷹 (Read 1154 times) |
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Koel_Ko
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Oriental Honey Buzzard 鳳頭蜂鷹
« on: Dec 30th, 2005, 11:51am » |
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Initially thought it's a Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus sp.)....
But then, all powerful human! Still fooled by the mimicry. 
Cameron highlands, Malaysia
馬來西亞金馬侖高原
27-12-2005
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| « Last Edit: Dec 30th, 2005, 12:47pm by Koel_Ko » |
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miket
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Re: Oriental Honey Buzzard 鳳頭蜂鷹
« Reply #1 on: Jan 18th, 2006, 12:37pm » |
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It is a hawk-eagle isn't it Koel? The bill's too large for OHB and the eyes and head shape are wrong too. OHB doesn't have the bony "hoods" over the eyes that eagles, such as this, have.
Mike Turnbull.
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junglej
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Re: Oriental Honey Buzzard 鳳頭蜂鷹
« Reply #2 on: Feb 2nd, 2006, 4:25pm » |
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Nope, if you'll pardon my leaping in. Koel is right and I too was initially fooled. It's an OH-b and here's why (any other available photos might help clarify):
1) the legs are only part-feathered, typical of H-b, tho' most fieldguides don't mention it; Spizaetus are fully feathered down to the toes (and even lower in some) ; 2) the head and bill are smallish and weak and there is no fierce brow-ridge - the bird has its head tilted which exaggerates the shadow some, but it still has a "benign" expression; �3) the lower tarsus is pretty hefty but the toes are spindly; I've noticed H-b seem to have folds of baggy skin around the lower tarsus, perhaps as further defense against stings; 4) the lore/cheek area appears to have the scaly feathering of H-b; 5) tho' not exactly clear, the typical H-b slit nostril seems to be present (eagles rounded to oval); 6) the crest is straggly and spindly (thin feathers) and horizontally drooped; in Spizaetus it is usually held vertically when in this pose and feathers are broader. �There are other minor supporting features. �
Which reminds me of a parable: a "wise" old buzzard named Bush once said to his daughter: �
"Honey-buzzard, you can always fool all of the birders some of the time, and some of the birders all of the time, but you'll never fool all of the birders all of the time!" 瓱imicry is a wonderful thing.
PS Mike T., I saw a post re Upland Buzzard some time back, Steppe Eagle it is not - see my reply there. 
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| « Last Edit: Feb 4th, 2006, 1:14pm by junglej » |
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miket
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Re: Oriental Honey Buzzard 鳳頭蜂鷹
« Reply #3 on: Feb 2nd, 2006, 9:07pm » |
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Thanks for the detailed analysis JungleJ. Some of the details you mention re HBs e.g. baggy skin on the lower tarsus are new to me, and clearly useful in identifying from photos. I agree the bill is actually rather weak looking. Overall I still think the bird lacks the really weak pigeon headed, rather pathetic look that darker HB's usually have (European birds rather than Orientals?), but can see why it is indeed an OHB.
Mike Turnbull
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Koel_Ko
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Re: Oriental Honey Buzzard 鳳頭蜂鷹
« Reply #4 on: Feb 15th, 2006, 6:26am » |
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Thanks for the detailed posts I love to look at raptors just because they're so challenging!
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