Unusual raptor

[Araucaria]

I'd be very grateful if anyone could have a go at identifying a bird we keep seeing here in the southern Cantal.

It's about the same size and shape as a buzzard, soars much like a buzzard too, and seems to hunt fairly low at times (as a result we've seen both the underside and the back). It's predominantly white, underside as well as back, with very clearly marked black wingtips. It looked just a bit more slightly built than a buzzard - a rather more elegant outline. The tail is white, but it might just have a darker band at the edge.

We've seen a pair of these, always in the same place, so I'd rather ruled out an albino-ish buzzard.

Any suggestions?

[Le Plombier]

Probably a young buzzard

If you look in your bird book you can see a variety of colur changes as they become adult

We see white buzzards from time to time

Le Plombier

[chris pp]

Hen harrier.

http://www.oiseaux.net/oiseaux/busard.saint-martin.html

Montagu's harrier.

http://www.oiseaux.net/oiseaux/busard.cendre.html

Chris

[Dog]

We have them too in 24 - I thought it looked most like a Hen Harrier but then I don't twitch.

[chris pp]

Moi non plus.[;-)]

Chris

[sharkhunter]

We have them too in 24 - I thought it looked most like a Hen Harrier but then I don't twitch

I do, but mostly at night, just as i am dropping off  [:D]

[Araucaria]

Thanks everyone, I think it probably is a (male) hen harrier. Next time I'll watch out for the characteristic v shape of the wings when gliding. It's slightly odd that both of the "pair" were the same colours - two males?

[chris pp]

Not at all odd. If they both have a female she will be on the nest and will only be seen when she flies up from the ground to take prey that is provided by the male.

Chris