bird Id

[Bisamratte]

Anybody know what sort of bird this is?

Sorry for the poor quality pic, it was taken through the trees and out of seven frames its the best one I got (that's enlarged in quite a bit)
here's the original taken with a 300mm lens. I hope it gives a bit more sense of scale (it was huge)

Could it be an eagle?

Cheers

Andy

 

[leon-1]

It is possible that it's an eagle. I know that they have golden Eagle in Switzerland, the flight feathers and tail look very much like one (as does the general body shape), I am no expert though, if it was really big there is a good chance it may have been one.

 

[Bisamratte]

cheers leon-1, I might go out again next weekend and see if I can get a better photo. Its quite often around because I recognised its call from times that I've thought "I wonder what bird is making that noise?"

Actually I have just been listening to a golden eagles call and it doesn't match what I heard. Any other suggestions what it could be?

 

[British Red]

Bisamrette,

If the noise was surprisingly haunting peee...uuuuu it could be a large buzzard (up to 1.5m wingspan). The call can be quite quick (almost peeuu) or elongated. we have one round here that is a huge size - well over a 4 foot wingspan. The curved markings under the wing are right but they look quite similar to a golden eagle without something to judge size against.

Other than that it is consistent with a golden eagle (up to 2.3m wingspan)

Wish I could help more

Red

 

[stuart f]

Hi Bisamrette, might it be a Buzzard,the call does it sound cat like mewing.
The Buzzard is a large Raptor.

 

[pothunter]

Hi Bisamrette

I see a lot of buzzards when we are competing for rabbits, if it were in the UK Im sure that is what it would be. Golden eagles from memory fly with a closed / square-tail not an open fan as with the buzzard.

 

[Pablo]

I'd say that was a Buzzard. The Buzzard has shorter, broader wings than an Eagle.The darker patch on the leading edge of of the wing would also tend to suggest it's a Buzzard as well. I agree the call would probably give it away for certain.

Pablo

 

[bear knights]

just been looking on the following site http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/g/goldeneagle/index.asp
has links to bird calls, plus the image of the golden eagle in flight mirrors your picture. From your image, there doesn't appear to be enough pale markings to make it a buzzard and looks far more like a golden eagle to me. Did see a whopper of a bird once when I was sitting on a train....big black thing with a wingspan of about three metres flying low through a field. can only assume it must have been an escapee but no one else batted an eyelid!

 

[locum76]

looks like a buzzard to me but maybe the underside is a bit dark. there does seem to be loads of them about just now though. i've seen up to five sitting in the field in front of my house.

 

[faff]

If this was in the south of germany then there is a very good chance that it is a goldie.Also booted eagles are in southern europe but I dont think they are as far as germany. your pic certanly has the eagle shaped head and looks like one.

 

[Mike B]

Hi all
I can confidently say it's Buteo buteo better known as a Common Buzzard.
The reason it appears to be dark marked is because it has been photographed from the back ie it's topside so no underparts are visible.
Also the head isn't large enough even at the angle of shot to be a Goldie,the Goldie carries more secondary flight feathers than the Buzzard and has a more pronounced shoulder in flight.
The tail is the biggest giveaway the shape is wrong for a Goldie and it teminates in a black tip and there is a White tip visible in the picture hence Buzzard.Mike B...

 

[Bisamratte]

Listening to the recordings of buzzards and golden eagles and together with what you have all said about shape and colour etc., its definitely a Buzzard.

Thank you all for your help
:You_Rock_
Andy