Storm Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus)
Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus)
Rarely seen, small petrel. Compact with shorter wings and tail, and blacker plumage than Leach's Storm-Petrel. Squared, unforked tail. White patch on upper tail coverts that reaches down on each side, with more square-cut edges than in Leach's. Also lacks the grey upper wing-band of latter, but shows white stripe on underside of wing. Flight-pattern bat-like with quick fluttering wing-beats and less powerful, and only short, gliding sequences. Sometimes patters with feet on the surface or rests on water. Visits breeding ground at night.
Sound:Heard at breeding ground. Dry, cyclic, rattling and cooing, interrupted by deeper nasal moaning or a higher pitched "kee-ee-kee", with emphasis on second syllable.
Song:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCVariable plumage, but not as varied as Buzzard. Prominent black carpal patches and broad black terminal band on tail in all plumages. Upperparts dark and speckled, underparts pale. Head is paler than back, and base of bill paler still. Conspicuous white base of tail, and upperside of tail contrasts with the dark back. Female with big black belly patch, and one broad terminal band on tail. In males the belly patch this is less prominent, and the tail has 1-2 narrow bands in addition to the terminal one. Only other raptor with white tail and broad terminal band in the area is young Golden Eagles. These can be identified by size, and by showing 6 fingers, not 5 as in Buteo (Buzzards). Soars with slightly more raised wings than Buzzard.
Sound:Most typical call a wailing, mewing "peeoooo". Quite similar to Buzzard, but the pitch falls more evenly throughout the whole call.
Alarm call:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC