Appearance:

Small eagle with evenly broad wings and relatively short tail. Easily confused with Greater Spotted Eagle (C. clanga). Flight-feathers darker than the pale brown coverts, both on upper- and underwing. Head and body distinctly paler than flight feathers. Conspicuous pale patch at base of inner primaries on upperwing (diffuse only in C. clanga). Double "commas" on underwing, formed by pale base of primaries and primary-coverts (one "comma" in C. clanga). Wings more narrow than C. clanga, which makes the tail look slightly longer. U-shaped white patch at base of tail. Immature birds with white tipped greater and median coverts, forming two narrow wing-bands. Wings "fingered", but 7th finger shorter than in C. clanga (but varies with age). Sours and glides with wings held horizontally, but with characteristic drooping hand (similar to C. clanga).

Sound:

Vocal at breeding ground, and when courting. Short, barking, high-pitched whistles, not unlike a small dog. Slightly higher pitched than C. clanga and with a purer tone, but very similar.

Call:

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-sound:Livon, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Compact built bird attached to rocky habitat. Differs in all plumages from Blue Rock-thrush, Monticola solitarius by short, rufous tail and shorter bill. Primary projection very long, and wing-tips almost reaches end of tail in perching birds. Male in breeding plumage unmistakable with blue-grey head, orange-buff underparts and white patch on back (variable). Male resembles female and immature birds when not in breeding plumage, but can sometimes be sexed by partly grey head and hints of white on back. General characteristics of non-breeding plumage are greyish brown and speckled upperparts, and orange-buff, vermiculated underparts. Then told from female Blue Rock-thrush by aforementioned different build, bill and tail, and also by paler throat-sides/breast and warmer rufous flanks. Posture usually upright with giss resembling more a wheatear than a thrush.

Sound:

Alarm call a soft, wheatear-like "peeu", often accompanied by harder "tek" calls. Also a very nasal, drawn-out wheeze. Song varied and pleasing, and often very difficult to tell from Blue Rock-thrush. It is generally softer, more varied and the deeper notes are less tremulous and vibrating. A higher proportion of the song is in the higher register, with fewer lower fluting sounds, and more mimicry. Both sexes sing, but females less than males.

Song:

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-photo:gilgit2, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:gilgit2, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:gilgit2, Licence,Link.