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:

A dark, often secretive, wader. Quite similar to Wood Sandpiper, but differs in dark underwings, only small white spots on back, defined border between speckled chest and white belly, broad dark markings on tail and a supercilium that does not reach behind eye. Leaves an overall much darker impression than Wood Sandpiper. Particularly in flight.

Sound:

Totally different from Wood Sandpiper. Sharp, penetrating calls. Display call a high-pitched "kee-kleeoo-eet", continuously repeated with a wave-like motion in pitch. Other common calls have similar timbre and tone with different phrasing like; "klooeett -klee-klee-klee-klee-klee" and a rising pitch.

Flight call:

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

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Peter Boesman, Licence,Link.