Sandgrouse - Crested Honey Buzzards in Iran

Sandgrouse 22 (2): November 2000 OSME BANNER
First and second records of Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus in Iran

MARC DUQUET AND COLIN RICHARDSON

CR VISITED QESHM ISLAND, Iran, on 1–4 December 1999, and travelled around the whole island during this period. The island is relatively flat with extensive salt flats and scrub punctuated by limestone outcrops, each rising to c. 200 metres. Situated c. 20 km south-west of Bandar Abbas, it is separated from the mainland by the Clarence Strait and is the largest island in the Arabian Gulf, at 100 km long by a mean 15 km wide. The weather during the period was warm and calm, with clear skies, and temperatures rising from 21^oC at 07.30 to around 26^oC at midday.

On 3 December, at c. 09.00, as CR travelled west along the south coast, approaching a point south of the airport at Tiotang (26^o48’N 56^o04’E), where a series of high craggy outcrops looked of interest, five raptors including an Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus and two Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus drifted into view. The other two had smallish heads, barred and short, rounded wings, and appeared to be Honey Buzzards Pernis apivorus, which are scarce in Iran (Derek Scott pers. comm.). This species is a rare winter visitors to UAE, only c. 200 km to the south, so I examined them carefully. One was strongly barred, with dark carpal patches and appeared to be a well-marked adult Honey Buzzard. The other was larger, closer in size to Long-legged Buzzard, with broader wings, on which six ‘fingers’ were visible, and had two broad bars on the tail, the second partially concealed behind the feet. It lacked a very dark carpal patch, which was evident on the adjacent Honey Buzzard and Long-legged Buzzards. These features indicated that it was probably a Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus and, in retrospect, it is possible that the other individual may have been a juvenile or female Crested Honey Buzzard, which have very similar plumages. Unfortunately they passed over quickly and I was unable to carefully note the head pattern or any other features.

On 20 February–8 March 2000, MD visited Iran together with Philippe J. Dubois, Serge Nicolle, Alain Perthuis and Henri-Pierre Roche. On 5 March, they found an adult (possibly male) Crested Honey Buzzard near Abpkhash along the Hilleh river, north-west of Bushehr, south-east Iran. It was seen for several minutes, initially flying very low, at a distance of c. 50 metres, before landing briefly atop a palm tree at 300–400 metres. While soaring it was seen both from above and below and, when perched, it was observed from behind.

It was a heavily built buzzard-sized raptor. Long and very broad wings with bulging trailing edge. Broad outerwing (‘hand’) with six ‘fingers’ on wingtip (AP). Rather broad, longish tail. Protruding pigeon-like head. Upperparts dark brown lacking any contrast, and apparently unmarked. Underparts and underwing-coverts tawny, slightly and finely barred. Lacked a dark carpal patch. Flight feathers whitish with distinct barring at base and a rather broad dark band on trailing edge. Tail whitish with a broad black terminal band and another, of equal width, at the base of tail (obscured by the feet).

The group immediately identified the individual in the field, as the species was previously known to four members from Siberia, China and Mongolia. Identification was subsequently confirmed through reference to the literature (e.g. Clark 1999, Forsman 1994, Porter et al. 1996). Due to a better understanding of its field identification and increased awareness of the likelihood of its occurrence, Crested Honey Buzzard can be regarded as a scarce migrant and winter visitor, rather than a vagrant, in the Middle East: 19 had been recorded in Israel prior to the end of 1999 (with additional records in spring 2000; Bradshaw & Kirwan 2000), with at least 21, several awaiting assessment, up to spring 2000 in UAE (Emirates Bird Records Committee files), three in Saudi Arabia, two in Turkey and singles in Egypt and Oman (Shirihai et al. 2000). Indeed, there is a previous report of the species in Iran, two at Hormuz Island, on 30 November 1999 (I. A. Green).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

MD thanks Dr M. Ebtekar, Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and director of the Dept. of the Environment; Dr Rostamian, director of the Dept. of the Environment for Bushehr province; Dr J. Mansoori, ornithological researcher at the Dept. of the Environment; and Mrs Elen Tavakoli, for endless assistance during his and his colleagues’ visit.

REFERENCES

BRADSHAW, C. G. AND KIRWAN, G. M. (2000) Around the region. Sandgrouse 22 : 156–160.
CLARK, W. S. (1999) A field guide to the raptors of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
FORSMAN, D. (1994) Field identification of Crested Honey Buzzard. Birding World 7: 396–403.
PORTER R. F., CHRISTENSEN S. AND SCHIERMACKER-HANSEN P. (1996) Field guide to the birds of the Middle East. T. & A. D. Poyser, London.
SHIRIHAI, H., YOSEF, R., ALON, D., KIRWAN, G. M. AND SPAAR, R. (2000) Raptor migration in Israel and the Middle East: a summary of 30 years of field research. International Birding & Research Center, Eilat.

Marc Duquet, 22 avenue du Tambourin, 34230 Vendemian, France.
Colin Richardson, P. O. Box 50394, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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	CR VISITED QESHM ISLAND, Iran, on 1–4 December 1999, and travelled around the whole island during this period. The island is relatively flat with extensive salt flats and scrub punctuated by limestone outcrops, each rising to c. 200 metres. Situated c. 20 km south-west of Bandar Abbas, it is separated from the mainland by the Clarence Strait and is the largest island in the Arabian Gulf, at 100 km long by a mean 15 km wide. The weather during the period was warm and calm, with clear skies, and temperatures rising from 21^oC at 07.30 to around 26^oC at midday. On 3 December, at c. 09.00, as CR travelled west along the south coast, approaching a point south of the airport at Tiotang (26^o48’N 56^o04’E), where a series of high craggy outcrops looked of interest, five raptors including an Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus and two Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus drifted into view. The other two had smallish heads, barred and short, rounded wings, and appeared to be Honey Buzzards Pernis apivorus, which are scarce in Iran (Derek Scott pers. comm.). This species is a rare winter visitors to UAE, only c. 200 km to the south, so I examined them carefully. One was strongly barred, with dark carpal patches and appeared to be a well-marked adult Honey Buzzard. The other was larger, closer in size to Long-legged Buzzard, with broader wings, on which six ‘fingers’ were visible, and had two broad bars on the tail, the second partially concealed behind the feet. It lacked a very dark carpal patch, which was evident on the adjacent Honey Buzzard and Long-legged Buzzards. These features indicated that it was probably a Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus and, in retrospect, it is possible that the other individual may have been a juvenile or female Crested Honey Buzzard, which have very similar plumages. Unfortunately they passed over quickly and I was unable to carefully note the head pattern or any other features. On 20 February–8 March 2000, MD visited Iran together with Philippe J. Dubois, Serge Nicolle, Alain Perthuis and Henri-Pierre Roche. On 5 March, they found an adult (possibly male) Crested Honey Buzzard near Abpkhash along the Hilleh river, north-west of Bushehr, south-east Iran. It was seen for several minutes, initially flying very low, at a distance of c. 50 metres, before landing briefly atop a palm tree at 300–400 metres. While soaring it was seen both from above and below and, when perched, it was observed from behind. It was a heavily built buzzard-sized raptor. Long and very broad wings with bulging trailing edge. Broad outerwing (‘hand’) with six ‘fingers’ on wingtip (AP). Rather broad, longish tail. Protruding pigeon-like head. Upperparts dark brown lacking any contrast, and apparently unmarked. Underparts and underwing-coverts tawny, slightly and finely barred. Lacked a dark carpal patch. Flight feathers whitish with distinct barring at base and a rather broad dark band on trailing edge. Tail whitish with a broad black terminal band and another, of equal width, at the base of tail (obscured by the feet). The group immediately identified the individual in the field, as the species was previously known to four members from Siberia, China and Mongolia. Identification was subsequently confirmed through reference to the literature (e.g. Clark 1999, Forsman 1994, Porter et al. 1996). Due to a better understanding of its field identification and increased awareness of the likelihood of its occurrence, Crested Honey Buzzard can be regarded as a scarce migrant and winter visitor, rather than a vagrant, in the Middle East: 19 had been recorded in Israel prior to the end of 1999 (with additional records in spring 2000; Bradshaw & Kirwan 2000), with at least 21, several awaiting assessment, up to spring 2000 in UAE (Emirates Bird Records Committee files), three in Saudi Arabia, two in Turkey and singles in Egypt and Oman (Shirihai et al. 2000). Indeed, there is a previous report of the species in Iran, two at Hormuz Island, on 30 November 1999 (I. A. Green).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
	MD thanks Dr M. Ebtekar, Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and director of the Dept. of the Environment; Dr Rostamian, director of the Dept. of the Environment for Bushehr province; Dr J. Mansoori, ornithological researcher at the Dept. of the Environment; and Mrs Elen Tavakoli, for endless assistance during his and his colleagues’ visit.
REFERENCES
	BRADSHAW, C. G. AND KIRWAN, G. M. (2000) Around the region. Sandgrouse 22 : 156–160. CLARK, W. S. (1999) A field guide to the raptors of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Oxford University Press, Oxford. FORSMAN, D. (1994) Field identification of Crested Honey Buzzard. Birding World 7: 396–403. PORTER R. F., CHRISTENSEN S. AND SCHIERMACKER-HANSEN P. (1996) Field guide to the birds of the Middle East. T. & A. D. Poyser, London. SHIRIHAI, H., YOSEF, R., ALON, D., KIRWAN, G. M. AND SPAAR, R. (2000) Raptor migration in Israel and the Middle East: a summary of 30 years of field research. International Birding & Research Center, Eilat. Marc Duquet, 22 avenue du Tambourin, 34230 Vendemian, France. Colin Richardson, P. O. Box 50394, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.