At 2013-01-22 17:34:25 +0530, ramitsingal@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > Pictures of the same bird, seen engaged in an aerial fight with an
> > Indian Spotted Eagle. My confusion is between Steppe and Greater
> > Spotted. On 20/1/2013 at Haserghatta.
>
> I think this is a Greater Spotted Eagle. Lots of things combining to
> make me think why, but generally note those broad looking wings with
> no barring underneath, and that short tail (the last image is a
> classic).
I found it difficult to believe that this was a Greater Spotted Eagle
based on the last photograph alone. I was particularly surprised that
you called it a "classic"; at a quick glance, that photo looks like a
Booted Eagle to me, with a compact body and small head and (contrary to
your assessment) quite narrow wings with pale inner primaries. See, for
example, the attached photo from Pune in November 2010 by the other
Rohan (Kamath).
Of course, there are plenty of things wrong with that diagnosis: seven
fingers, a prominent pale edge to the greater underwing coverts (does
Booted ever show such a complete bar?), the carpal crescents, etc., and
anyway a glance at the other photographs (the first one in particular)
dispels that initial impression. I wouldn't have been too surprised if
you had said the first photo was a classic clanga.
I think the wings look narrower than usual because (a) the secondaries
are heavily worn, with the usual pale juvenile trailing edge worn off,
and (b) the innermost primaries have been moulted. I don't think I've
seen too many clanga of this age-class.
By the way, I *can* see barring on the innermost primaries in the first
two photos, and it isn't as fine as "classic" clanga (i.e. the dark bars
aren't always obviously thinner than the pale gaps), but the photos are
not really good enough to judge this. Besides, I've seen bars of varying
thickness on clanga in particular (but not hastata). That the barring
extends quite far down the feather is attributable to wear as above.
Anyway, I thought this was an interesting bird, though it is somewhat
troubling that it was obvious to everyone but me that it is a GSE. ;-)
I wish Rohan had some photographs of the upperwing. Or, just for fun,
photographs of the two eagles together.
-- ams
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