Buzzard - Which species?

[Peter]

A little puzzle to kick start the ID section for 2012.

Which Buzzard species is this?

Peter

[Toots]

Me and my Collins are going for Long-legged.
Toots

[Kevin Wade]

How about Steppe Buzzard?

[john]

I find this one very tricky.  To state the blindingly obvious the choice seems to be between:-
Common Buzzard
Steppe Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Long-legged X Common Buzzard hybrid

The problem is compounded by the fact that the obvious reference – Forsman – barely mentions the North African race of Long-legged Buzzard (cirtensis) and (surprisingly) has no photos of it.  The ‘Collins Guide’ illustrates this race, but has scarcely any text devoted to it.  The only volumes that I have that deal with cirtensis to any degree are Gensbol’s ‘Collins Birds of Prey,’  ‘The Handbook of Bird Identification’ and the BWP

The bird’s proportions look right for Common Buzzard rather than nominate Long-legged, but if we’re dealing with cirtensis then proportions are little help as they are too similar to Common Buzzard to be of any use.  So it would seem to be a matter of plumage details.  The bold dark carpal patches, very pale hand and strong trailing edge to the wing seem suggestive of Long-legged Buzzard.  However, should they show such a dark tail band and would cirtensis be quite so dark?  Besides, Common Buzzard is by far the most likely candidate and they can be very variable indeed.

To me this doesn’t look like a ‘bog standard’ Common Buzzard but I can’t say I’m utterly convinced that one couldn’t look very similar to this bird.  Steppe Buzzards, to judge from available photos and illustrations (see ‘Collins Bird Guide’ p107), can look exactly like this bird and to be honest I’m not sure by what criteria you could say it wasn’t one.  But just how many Steppe Buzzards can be expected to drift all the way over to Spain?  Then there’s the knotty problem of Common x Long-legged Buzzard hybrids.  The few photos I’ve seen of supposed hybrids look quite similar (although with a less well marked tail).

So the honest answer is I don’t know and I’m not sure by what criteria you can be certain of accurate ID based on a single photo like this.   On balance (a mixture of appearance and probabilities) I’m inclined to go for Long-legged x Common Buzzard hybrid, but would like to know much more about cirtensis Long-legged to be certain!

John

[Brenda]

Peter, the lucky man, is in Costa Rica until the 18th with a group, so he won't reply until after then. It's only 3C in Ronda with a strong wind, so it feels like ~3C!

Brenda

[Kevin Wade]

Hi John

Have attached an article by Antonio-Román Muñoz Gallego, on the SEO-Málaga website, after I submitted the record to the Comité de Rarezas of a Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus cirtensis) on the 30 October 2006 in Marbella (actually pictures taken from my bedroom balcony!) I also had the record on accepted 1 May 2005 whilst conducting my SACRE survey for the SEO.  Peter's bird above to me, isn't right for a Buzzard or a Long-legged Buzzard and that's why I'm guess at Steppe Buzzard - there seems to be the odd record from the Straits (for instance http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsr709.htm#Lh)

I wonder what Peter thinks!!

[john]

Thanks for the link Kevin.  I fear my Spanish isn't up to reading the text since I can barely manage a bar menu let alone this note.  Certainly I'd be very happy to give the bird in your photo a thumbs up for L-l Buzzard.  I had a very similar bird which differed only in having a lovely pale head (no photos unfortunately) a few years ago.  I assume that cirtensis would never show such a dark tail band as the bird in the original photo.  I don't think it is that species (although I have a vague recollection reading that they can sometimes have a faint tail band). 

As I noted originally the bird in Peter's photo is a dead ringer for a Steppe Buzzard illustration in the Collins Field Guide.  Had it been taken elsewhere (Balkans for example) I'd happily go along with Steppe Buzzard ID.  If it's a Common Buzzard then it mimics 'Steppe' far better then any look-alikes I've seen. 

The stumbling block is the potential for confusion arising from the hybridisation between L-l & Common Buzzard.   Although not exactly like this bird photos I've seen of supposed hybrids have had a dark tail band and who can be certain what mix of features a hybrid bird might throw up?

John

[Peter]

My money was on Steppe Buzzard, although there weren't many takers on Birdforum. The sub terminal band on the tail (adult) would certainly favour Steppe.

Peter

[john]

Well, it certainly fits Steppe very closely, but I still wonder to what extent a hybrid Long-legged X  Common Buzzard could match this plumage,

John