54 juv
PLATE 20: OSPREY AND HONEY BUZZARDS
Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus RB, WV
L: 56–61. W: 145–165. Large; long, narrow wings, distinctly angled when gliding, white under-
surface with black carpals and band through centre of underwing, white crown and dark eye-
mask. Variable dusky band across foreneck (usually boldest in female). Juvenile has whitish scales
and white line on greater coverts above. Flies with steady, shallow wingbeats, glides on smoothly
curved wings; may recall large soaring gull at distance. Hovers over water for fish and dives with
splash, feet first, almost disappearing. Habitat Always near water, inland or coastal; nests in trees,
on sea-cliffs, remote islands (often on ground), ruins, old wrecks, sometimes in scattered groups.
Note Passage hatched, winters on coasts.European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus pm
L: 55. W: 135–150. Recalls Steppe Buzzard in shape but slimmer with longer, narrower tail with
rounded corners; head and neck narrower, protruding in cuckoo-like manner. Wingbeats more
flexible and soars on flattish wings, and glides on slightly lowered wings (Steppe Buzzard soars
on raised wings). Plumage variable; typical male has greyish head and upperparts; female browner.
Below, some are dark, others largely white, but most are barred on body and coverts, and have
black carpal patches; flight feathers show prominent black trailing edge and characteristic bars
at base (more bars in female). In all morphs, tail has dark band at tip and two bars at base. Cere
grey, eyes yellow or orange-yellow (male). Juvenile dark brown, rufous-brown or creamy-white with
streaked breast; usually, but not always, with dark carpal patches and narrow whitish crescent
on uppertail-coverts; head often whitish with dark eye-mask; may show pale band on underwing-
coverts, separating secondaries from dark forewing (unlike Steppe Buzzard) and three evenly spaced
bars on flight feathers (unlike adult). Juvenile with its more slender wings with curved rear-edge
(bulging secondaries) and shorter tail has more of a Steppe Buzzard-like outline, but shape of tail and
head, and soaring on flat wings important for identification. Migrates in flocks. See similar Crested
Honey Buzzard for separation from that species. Habitat Woodland; widespread on passage.
Note Passage hatched, but rare in E Arabia.Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus wv
L: 65. W: 160. Resembles European Honey Buzzard but larger with noticeably broader body, slightly
longer wingspan, and broader wings with bulging secondaries (all ages) and wing-tip showing six
long ‘fingers’ (five in European Honey); also tail broader and shorter. Dark, pale and intermediate
morphs occur (as European Honey). Adult has dark gorget across throat and lacks contrasting
black carpal patches; nape plumes sometimes visible when perched. Male has dark red eyes,
undertail with, apart from broad black band at tail base, two black bands divided by broad pale
band, and black band on flight feathers reaches body (male European Honey has inner part of
band hidden beneath greater coverts). Adult female undertail pattern is more like male European
Honey, but innermost bar (at tip of tail-coverts) usually broader; secondaries crossed by three dark,
evenly spaced bars (female European Honey usually has two bars with wider gap between dark
trailing edge and first bar). Juvenile has underparts creamy to foxy or dark brown, dark eyes, yellow
cere, and variable tail barring, typically four narrow bars of even width, all being characters similar
to juvenile European Honey and thus best told by shape and structure, but note often has broad
pale rump, while none shows dark carpal patches (usually obvious in European Honey, except dark
individuals). Adult Crested Honey Buzzard usually migrates in autumn with 4–5 new inner primaries
(adult European Honey has from 0–3 renewed). Care is required with any wintering honey buzzard,
as moulting Crested Honey may be missing outer primaries and then only shows five fingers (as
European Honey). Habitat Open woodland, parks, wooded farmland. Note Rare passage (any
habitat) and winter hatched; uncommon Oman; vagrant Saudi Arabia, Yemen.