Pallid Harrier Female – elegant low altitude flyer.

[Subhash Shrivastava]

Nikon P510, 1/800, F5.9, 180 mm, ISO-200, hand held. 10% Cropped to remove half BB on the right side.
Clicked in Bidar grasslands on 01-Mar-2014.

[Sucheth Lingachar]

Beautiful image....

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

Nice image. The grazing Blackbuck in the background adds beauty to the habitat and the image. Thanks for sharing.SaktiWild

[Roopak Gangadharan]

nice capture subash. like the low angle and the inclusion of the buck in the frame...the true beauty of the grassland comes out in the image. wud like to see a wider compo if any.The bird looks like a Sub adult Montagu's harrier to me.

It is sad how a habitat which supports some much life and plays a critical role in maintaining the eco balance is considered by our authorities as wastelands and sought to be converted into forest by planting them with Eucalyptus and other invasive species which have no natural role in these habitats, instead upset and deplete the water table.

TFS
Roopak

[Subhash Shrivastava]

Hi Sucheth, Saktida and Roopak, thanks for sharing your views and appreciation.
Roopak, though i tried my best to identify the harrier by going through the info on net, i am still confused. Please share some identification tips between Pallid and Montagu. If needed i can upload some more images taken from a different angle.
the low angle is incidental, it’s just that the bird was on a higher ground. i did not come out of my car at all (thanks to tips by Sabya), the bird gave ample chance to photograph, it was still there when i moved away after 10 mins :) and i was very happy about it.
regarding the knowledge of persons entrusted with the responsibility for saving our flora and fauna, i can only say that they have criminal negligence and ignorance. But, I think we have failed as a society also.

[Roopak Gangadharan]

Subash,
Typically there would be no confusion between adult male of these species, both are very distinct. I feel this is a Immature Male montagus harrier (missed mentioning Male in my previous post) as I can see bluish grey creeping into its plumage in the head, upper back and breast indicating a male in transformation before the bluish grey spreads through out. In case of a pallid instead of this bluish grey you will see the plumage turning pale or whitish. Also I can see streaking on the breast down to the flanks which is typical of Juv /Immature Monatgus. Pallid is mostly unstreaked.

The adult females, Immature/ juv of these species are very identical and a confusing lot. On a perched bird the Facial pattern, tail barring, streaking on breast and length of wing tip vs tail tip are some useful features. All said they are very confusing on the field. If you have other close up pics we can discuss these features in detail.

Rgds
Roopak

[Subhash Shrivastava]

Hi Roopak, thanks for providing information. I didn't look at the possibility of it being male. Now after knowing the reason of bluish grey feathers at its head, which were baffling me, I see it in a totally new perspective. I never knew that these birds go through color transformations. I am posting an another image, taken when it was on the other side of my car, the head turn show some additional details around eyes. Please do let me know your reading of the same.
Sorry I could not respond earlier over weekend as the image backup is in my office laptop that I usually do not bring home :).

[Roopak Gangadharan]

Hi subash

As per the forum guidelines only one image is allowed in a post under the photography section.

In any case you can see the 1. more white around the eye 2. a collar which is fainter and not as obvious as in pallid and 3. wing tip almost reaching the tail tip. 4. streaked breast and flank indicating a Montagus. As i had said these Id tips are very subtle and will make more sense when you compare this with that of typical pallid side by side.

TFS
Roopak

[Subhash Shrivastava]

Hi Roopak, Thanks for the providing the information. more astonishing new info for me is that Juv male has similar plummage as female! i have been trying to compare pallid and Montagus females side by side, now these tips will certainly help me.
sir, i had posted the second image as i thought i need to post one from a diffrent angle or more closeup, as you also had suggested. may be i should have started a new thread ? i am not sure that would have helped.

[Roopak Gangadharan]

Hi subash,

posting a new thread with a link/ ref to the previous post will help connect. This restriction is only in the photography section..in general discussion/ natural history sections you can post multiple images.

Rgds
Roopak