Madagascar Buzzard vs Poiana codabianca

In breve

The most reliable field mark to separate Madagascar Buzzard from Long-legged Buzzard is the head and underpart pattern: Madagascar Buzzard shows a dark grey head with a contrasting white breast patch, while Long-legged Buzzard (especially pale morphs) has a pale, sandy or rufous head and a more uniformly pale breast with fine streaks. Juvenile Long-legged Buzzards have distinctive neat pale edging on the upperwing coverts and a pale tail with faint bars, while Madagascar Buzzard juveniles are less well described but lack these features. Structurally, Long-legged Buzzard is larger, longer-winged, and longer-legged, often appearing bulkier and more eagle-like both perched and in flight. Madagascar Buzzard is endemic to Madagascar and never overlaps in range with Long-legged Buzzard, which is widespread across Eurasia and North Africa.

Consigli di identificazione

1. Juvenile upperwing pattern: Juvenile Long-legged Buzzards show neat pale edging on the greater and median upperwing coverts, creating a distinctive panel in flight; Madagascar Buzzard juveniles lack this feature (works for birds in first two years).
2. Juvenile tail pattern: Juvenile Long-legged Buzzards have a pale tail base with faint brown bars, often darkening toward the tip; Madagascar Buzzard juveniles are not described as having this pattern.
3. Adult head color: Madagascar Buzzard adults have a dark grey head, while Long-legged Buzzard adults (especially pale morphs) have a pale sandy or rufous head, sometimes with a dark nape or eye-stripe.
4. Breast and underparts: Madagascar Buzzard shows a white breast patch contrasting with a darker head and brown-spotted vent/thighs; Long-legged Buzzard (pale morph) has a pale, often streaked breast with less contrast to the head, and rufous or ochraceous belly/flanks.
5. Tail pattern: Madagascar Buzzard has a tail with broad brownish-black bars; Long-legged Buzzard (pale/rufous morphs) often shows a rufous-orange or greyish tail, sometimes with faint or broad subterminal bands, but not as regularly barred as Madagascar Buzzard.
6. Dark morphs: Long-legged Buzzard dark morphs are all blackish-brown to black with a grey to brown-grey tail and a broad subterminal band; Madagascar Buzzard does not have a comparable all-dark morph.
7. Eye color: Adult Madagascar Buzzard has yellow eyes; adult Long-legged Buzzard has very dark brown eyes. Juvenile Long-legged Buzzards have pale grey to yellowish eyes that darken with age.
8. Bill and cere: Madagascar Buzzard has a black bill with a greyish-blue cere; Long-legged Buzzard has a relatively large bill and dull yellow cere.
9. Leg color: Both species have yellowish legs, but Long-legged Buzzard's are especially long and robust.
10. Structure and posture: Long-legged Buzzard is bulkier, with longer wings and tail, and longer legs, often perching very upright and exposed; Madagascar Buzzard is more compact and perches less openly.
11. Flight silhouette: Long-legged Buzzard appears more eagle-like, with a protruding head, long broad wings, and a long, rounded tail; Madagascar Buzzard is more typical Buteo in shape, with shorter wings and tail.
12. Ground behavior: Long-legged Buzzard often stands or walks on the ground, sometimes with a waddling gait; Madagascar Buzzard is not noted for this behavior.
13. Range: Madagascar Buzzard is only found in Madagascar; any Buteo seen outside Madagascar in Eurasia, North Africa, or the Indian subcontinent is Long-legged Buzzard.
14. Plumage variability: Both species are variable, but Long-legged Buzzard shows a wider range of morphs (pale, intermediate, rufous, dark), while Madagascar Buzzard is variable mainly in the extent of dark and pale areas, not in overall morph.
15. Perching sites: Long-legged Buzzard favors prominent, open perches (rocks, crags, pylons); Madagascar Buzzard is less likely to perch so openly.

Taglia

Long-legged Buzzard is one of the largest Buteos, noticeably bigger and bulkier than Madagascar Buzzard. It has a relatively large bill, long wings, a long tail, and especially long legs with powerful feet. Madagascar Buzzard is a typical medium-sized Buteo, smaller and less robust overall. In direct comparison, Long-legged Buzzard will appear longer-winged and longer-tailed, with a more prominent bill and legs, while Madagascar Buzzard is more compact and shorter-legged. [wikipedia]

Piumaggio

Juvenile Long-legged Buzzards, regardless of morph, show neat pale edging on the upperwing coverts and a pale tail with faint brown bars, which is a key separation from Madagascar Buzzard juveniles, which are not described as having these features. Adult Madagascar Buzzard is variable but typically has a dark grey head, a white breast patch, and brownish-white vent and thighs with brown spotting; the tail is marked with broad brownish-black bars. Adult Long-legged Buzzard is highly variable: pale morphs have a plain pale sandy or rufous head, a pale breast with fine streaks, and a rufous-orange tail; intermediate and rufous morphs are richer and more ochraceous, with more patterned breasts and sometimes a greyish, banded tail; dark morphs are all blackish-brown with a grey to brown-grey tail with a broad subterminal band. Juvenile Long-legged Buzzards are more streaky on the head and breast, with a tail that is pale at the base and darkens outward, showing irregular faint bars. Eye color also differs: adult Madagascar Buzzard has yellow eyes, while adult Long-legged Buzzard has very dark brown eyes; juveniles of Long-legged Buzzard have pale grey to greyish-yellow eyes that darken with age.

Comportamento

Long-legged Buzzard often perches very openly and upright on rocks, crags, pylons, or utility poles, and is frequently seen standing or walking on the ground, sometimes with a waddling gait. It can appear sluggish and tends to choose prominent vantage points. Madagascar Buzzard's behavior is less specifically described, but as a typical Buteo, it is likely to perch in trees or on less exposed perches and is not noted for the same ground-walking or open-perching habits as Long-legged Buzzard.

Habitat

Madagascar Buzzard is endemic to Madagascar and does not occur elsewhere. Long-legged Buzzard is found across Eurasia, North Africa, and parts of East Africa and the Indian subcontinent, never in Madagascar. Thus, any wild bird seen in Madagascar is a Madagascar Buzzard, while Long-legged Buzzard is found in open country, steppe, and semi-desert regions of its wide range.