I read on the Netfugl website there have seen two (different?) Pallid Harriers in male 2cy plumage in Denmark in August 2005.
Since we discovered a bird (1 sept) in Outgaarden, Belgium that several ornithologists determined as a Pallid Harrier 2cy male, there has been a lot of discussion.
A 2cy male hen harrier is still not excluded by some. This plumage (brown upperparts, P9 and P10 still juvenile, rest of primaries are changed, secondaries mostly still juvenile (only 3 new adult ones), headpattern visible, ...) seems very rare for pallid as well as for hen harrier.
There are also some doubts about the general structure of the bird, especially the wing bases.
Therefore we are looking for descriptions (and if possible photos, even bad ones) of 2 cy summer and autumn males. Can you help us further with the two recent records in Denmark?
Important to know (and invisible on pics):
- bird is as small as black crow
- head pattern (collar + long light patch above and small patch under the eye) is clearly visible
- long projection of tail (when sitting on ground)
- very pale tail (merges on top with short very white and unbarred rump) without any visible barring
The biggest issue at the moment is the general structure of the bird that tends more to 2 calender year male Hen Harrier, unless plumage details that tends to Pallid Harrier.
English version