Grasshopper Buzzard vs White-eyed Buzzard

Grasshopper Buzzard

Butastur rufipennis

Large335 gWoodland

The adult grasshopper buzzard is grey brown above with a darker head and dark shaft streaks on all of its feathers. The feathers of the mantle and lesser coverts are narrowly with fringed rufous in fresh plumage, although this wears off. The grey tail has faint brown bars. The greater coverts and primary feathers are light rufous, the primaries are tipped with black, and form a conspicuous reddish patch in flight. The secondary feathers are rufous shading to dark brown towards the tip, which is white. The chin and throat are whitish, with three black streaks on either side of throat.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: avocat · CC BY 4.0

White-eyed Buzzard

Butastur teesa

Large325 gWoodland

This slim and small hawk is easily identified by its white iris and the white throat and dark mesial stripe. A white spot is sometimes visible on the back of the head. When perched, the wing tip nearly reaches the tip of the tail. The ceres are distinctly yellow and the head is dark with the underside of the body darkly barred. In flight, the narrow wings appear rounded with black tips to the feathers and the wing lining appears dark. The upper wing in flight shows a pale bar over the brown. The rufous tail is barred with a darker subterminal band.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Mike Prince · CC BY 2.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Grasshopper Buzzard and White-eyed Buzzard.