Whilst birding Ash Shargiyah Development Company Farm
on 11 September 2015 I saw a juvenile harrier over one of the fields. Luckily
the bird flew closer and eventually flew right overhead allowing some good
photographs to be taken. Juvenile Montagu’s and Pallid Harriers are difficult
to identify with certainty at times and good views are needed. The first thing
that needs to be done on a bird is to age and sex it. Juveniles are easily aged
by being dark above and largely unstreaked chestnut below with dark secondaries
and a strong facial pattern. The main distinguishing characters in order
of importance include the primary pattern - Pallid Harrier shows diagnostic
unbarred primary bases creating a distinct whitish ‘boomerang’ shape around
primary coverts. The fingers are barred and the railing edge is diffuse whereas
on Montagu's the hand normally shows a Buzzard type pattern with unbarred
fingers and sharply set-off dark trailing edge, with indistinctly barred bases
to central primaries and no pale ‘boomarang’ around the primary coverts. Facial
Pattern - Pallid shows striking facial markings, with diagnostic broad,
unspotted whitish collar, emphasised by solid dark brown neck sides (like a ‘boa’),
extensive dark ear covert area reaches loral area (occasionally onto throat)
and towards the bill base. The white area around the eye is usually
small. Montagu's Harrier has much more whiter around eye, including
deeper supercilium, broader white on cheek and loral region and the dark ear
covert patch is smaller; half collar fainter and marked with streaking; dark
neck sides made up of streaks and not solid patches and much smaller (i.e. no
"boa" effect). Underpart Streaking - None on Pallid whereas Montagu's
usually shows streaking on breast sides
extending down onto upper flanks. From the above it appears this bird is a
juvenile Montagu’s Harrier although a well marked individual.
