Crested Honey-Buzzard

Pernis ptilorhynchus (Temminck, 1821)

		adult male flying
2013-05-16 Korgalzhyn 2014-08-19 Eastern Kazakhstan. Western Altai. Chernaya Uba river.	© Thijs Fijen © Askar Isabekov

Description

Oriental (Crested) Honey Buzzard is very similar on Eurasian Honey Buzzard but quite larger than it. Coloration is very variable too, from dark-brownish to pale-buffy. The elongated feathers of nape formed little tipped crest, but not at all birds. Distinctive character is dark shoe-shaped spot on the fore-neck, but it is noted not on all of birds especially from afar. The pale throat often with longitudinal strip. Tail of male is usually with two dark broad bands. Tail of female and juvenile is with dense across bars. Eyes of female are yellow, eyes of male are cherry-red, bill wattle is dark-grey on adults and yellow on juveniles. Underwings are barred such as ones on Eurasian Honey Buzzard but without dark carpal patch or it is slightly expressed. Underwings of the birds of dark morph are all dark. Weight 750-1500 gr, length about 60-65, wing 40.5-49.5, wingspan about 150-170 cm.

Distribution

On migration Oriental Honey Buzzard occurs in eastern part of Kazakhstan (Altai, Trans-Balkhash area, foothills of Northern and Western Tien Shan).

Biology

Oriental Honey Buzzard is rare, in places common passage migrant. In spring it is observed from first decade of April to mid June; in autumn - from September to mid-October. Oriental Honey Buzzard migrates individually or in small groups often with Buzzards.

Subspecies

References

В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000. "Птицы Казахстана" том 2. Алма-Ата, 1962. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005.