Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Adult male unmistakable if seen well. Body and head bright yellow, lores, wings and tail black. Females and young males less distinct, with lime-green back, pale, streaked underparts and black wings and tail. Bill quite strong with reddish colour in adults, and grey in young birds. Despite the bright plumage the bird is difficult to see due to skulking behaviour in foliage. Usually spotted when moving from tree to tree in undulating flight. Then resembles a large thrush or woodpecker, quickly darting upwards into the next tree-top.
Sound:Varied repertoire, but song and common contact call very distinct. Song a series of 1-2 seconds long phrases of 3-5 yodeling, clear, fluting notes, interspersed with 2-3 second pauses. Tone very full-bodied, melodic and pleasing. Contact call surprisingly different: A forced, drawn "weeackt", slightly resembling Jay, but less harsh, and much more nasal. Other sounds include a Wryneck-like warning call.
Contact call, 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
CCIn all plumages: Glides with wings raised in shallow V. Shows 5 primaries. This makes the wing tip broader than in Pallid- and Montague's Harriers, and the wings seems shorter. (Note that moulting individuals may show only 4 primaries). Male; grey with black primaries, white rump and underparts, and broad black trailing edge to underwing. Note that subadult males may show partly black primaries like Pallid. Female; brown with white rump, barred tail and streaked underparts.
Sound:Mostly heard at breeding ground. Calls with quite soft series of "ke-ke-ke-ke". Also a wailing, squealing whistle, with emphasized first syllable.
Contact 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
CCSounds:Creative Commons,www.xeno-canto.org,Bruno Durand,http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/