Appearance:

Large, long-winged vulture with slender body and long, diamond-shaped tail. Very different flight-silhouette from any other large raptor in the region. Most similar to Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), but note very long tail (longer than wings are broad) and pointed wings. Size difference not always apparent. Adult birds unmistakable when plumage characters are visible. Yellowish head with black mask and "beard". Orangy underparts, contrasting with dark back, wings and tail. Immature birds are dark all over, with pale-tipped coverts. Note that young birds have shorter tail and less pointed wings than adults. Wings held flat when soaring, sometimes with tip pointing slightly downwards.

Sound:

Display call a thin whistling with several register breaks, reminiscent of Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus). A passerine-like trill is also sometimes heard, but generally not a vocal bird.

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:Paul Barnard Fotografie, Licence,Link.

CC-sound:Fernand DEROUSSEN, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Shape resembles both diving and dabbling ducks. Characteristic head profile with long bill, long sloping forehead and rather high rear crown (not unlike Pochard). White undertail usually visible also when on the water. Broad, white wing-bars and white underwing conspicous in flight. White undertail separated from white belly by brown band. Male with shining white eyes. Female with brown eye and less bright rufous tones to plumage. Immature similar to female, but with even less rufous. Immatures told from immature Pochard by by darker back, no facial markings and white (not grey) wing-bars. Note that Tufted Duck sometimes have white (but more diffuse) undertail. Beware also of hybrids with Pochard (note bill-pattern).

Sound:

Female call similar to female Tufted Duck's "kerr kerr", but thinner and with a strong, peculiar bi-tone. Male display call mostly consists of various short "chk" sounds.

Female:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-sound:Jarek Matusiak, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Linton Snapper, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Radovan Václav, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:darwin_initiative, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Frank.Vassen, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Koshyk, Licence,Link.