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Since I'm a fledgling duckling, I'll try the raptor definition part: I thought it always referred loosely to all birds of prey, but I realised that there are accipiters and other classes. I don't know whether accipiters also fall under raptors, but then I would think that a raptor is a relatively large bird of prey that catches larger prey (not only insects), like small mammals, reptiles or other birds. Also, I don't think owls are raptors, so that would exclude nocturnal birds of prey??? Is this on the right track?

As to the picture, give me a couple of years to figure it out

@Sparks, is it a Wahlbergs Eagle?

And, the qualifying trait of a raptor is that it hunts for prey on the wing and kills with its talons??

BTW, I am starting to feel the birding itch and I like it!!!

*Checking up on duckling school. *

Tip: Nyamandlovu , have another look. That is a nasty but educational one, those are two different birds.

I'll be getting back to my holiday now, two more days to go. Right now I'm torn between missing my SO and my dogs and leaving the place I love.
Have a good one, folks!
See ya next week!

That second one I've seen in books - characteristic pose and highly-feather legs. Back to the books to find it. First one a toughy (I'm just a baby fledgling duckling, after all )

Thanks JenB

1. Lesser Spotted Eagle
2. Tawny Eagle

Tip on Raptors : the feathered legs and where gape length ends in relation to the eye

*Some Tips*

In Raptor Identification always look at the colour of the Gape, Legs, Bill and Cere. Also have a look at where the hair on the legs stops (if there is any). Have a look at the general colour of the bird and where it was found. By having a look at the distrabution it should rule out some birds.

This is very difficult.

The woodpeckers:
1. Ground woodpecker
2. Bennets woodpecker
3. Cardinal woodpecker
4. Greenbacked woodpecker
5. Red throated wryneck.

The eagles:
1. Wahlberg's eagle
2. Tawny eagle.

These eagles can be tricky. One is slightly smaller than the other and there are subtle differences but unless they are sitting next to each other it can make one think and in the heat of the moment could even lead to a wrong id. There are a host of color variations in both birds to add to the confusion.
There is however one small difference that works for me and has proven quite successful, ...... the shape of the nostril... The TAWNY eagle has an OVAL nostril whereas the Wahlberg's eagle has a ROUND nostril. Armed with this tidbit you can impress a lot of the more experienced birders





Nyamandlovu you are correct in shooting for wahlberg's for one of the eagles now you can see which one it is and the other one must be a tawny
Your qualifying trait for a raptor is quite correct, it is a bird that kills with its talons. A number of smaller and equally sized birds hunt live prey, Ground Horn bills will regularly take small mammals and snakes and the roller family hunt on the wing also taking lizards and small mammals but they do not use their talons.
onewithnature the accipiters fall in the class of raptors as they are mostly the sparrowhawks and gosshawks. Accipiters is a name given to the group belonging to the Family Accipitridae
Mel if you can id the eagles the woodpeckers should not be difficult

Thanks Sparks, so much great knowledge

Now I need more to feed my fledgling addiction...

Thanks all you guys! This is a marvellous thread ... loving it!!

After looking in my book, I also thought the second one was a Lesser Spotted Eagle.
I always get mixed up with the Golden-tailed and Cardinal woodpeckers - I know it has to do with how far the red extends on the head, but I sometimes find I cannot see this in the field because they are mostly in shade, or their head's turned the other way.
And, I have about 4 unidentified raptors from the recent trip to Kruger - can't find them anywhere in my bird book!!

After that one how about something more challenging?....... Nah..... joking
seeing as we were on the subject of talons how's this for "talons" ?



And it's cousin



Hope this guy does not develop an itch

"Talons"? (I'm a little slow tonight!)

Look at the toe nails on the one with the yellow throat. If a raptor had that kind of weaponry ......

Another interesting tidbit involving the crowned lapwing from earlier discussion and our tawny eagle. The lapwing has no fear and will defend its young vehemently even against a formidable opponent such as the much bigger tawny eagle. This photo was taken just outside Orpen and shows a crowned lapwing dive bombing the tawny. More guts than brains if you ask me