mhale

Steppe Eagle at The Hawk Conservancy in Andover, 12 October 2008

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Mark77 has it right

Yeppers... That's definitely a Steppe Eagle. Not a species you see that often, as they're usually found in the regions from Romania to southern Russia, and into Mongolia. I can see how the coloring could have got you thinking 'Harris hawk,' though.

Here's a few visual clues. The legs are shorter than a Harris, and the bird also lacks the characteristic chestnut-colored striping across the shoulders. Also, the bird's build is far more stocky than I've ever seen on a Harris, even one that's overweight. As a final hint, the bird's 'gape,' or the yellow portion of the mouth line, extends underneath the eyes. In a Harris, it doesn't go back that far.

Trivia: They're migratory, and they're also the national bird of Kazakhstan (unsurprising, given the importance of eagles to the Kazakh falconers).

Happy travels.
 
Thank you very much for the information. I will change the photo title :)
 

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