Unidentified Feather

AndyC · #1 (**permalink**) 30-12-2010, 11:18 AM

I pick this up a few years ago on South Uist.

The picture doesn't really do it justice, it is 21.5 inches (or 55cm if you must) long!
I would like to think that it is an eagle feather (it is bigger than any goose feather I have ever seen) but I'm are not too sure... over to the experts!

Cheers

Andy

RKB · #2 (**permalink**) 30-12-2010, 11:21 AM

It's not a goose, but certainly from a raptor. At that size, and colouring, there are only two possibilities - a Common Buzzard or a juvenile Golden Eagle.

AndyC · #3 (**permalink**) 30-12-2010, 12:47 PM

Cheers for the rapid reply.
I thought it was too big for a buzzard. 21.5 inches gives a minimum wingspan (not allowing for any bits in the middle!) of 43 inches.
Could you rule out WTE on the colouration?

Andy

RKB · #4 (**permalink**) 30-12-2010, 03:55 PM

I'm not sure that any age of White-tailed Eagle has that much white at the base, but I'm not hugely clued up on them.

It is a primary feather, but your calculation of wingspan could be well out for several reasons. Most important is that only a couple of primaries contribute to the wingspan measurement, as they're the ones pointing 'outwards'. Most of them point backwards, so contribute to 'wing width' rather than 'wing span'. Those that do contribute to wingspan are P1-3, and these are invariably shorter than P4-6.

A big female buzzard could have a wingspan of about 130+ cm, but 55 cm might be a little on the large side, so eagle sp. is perhaps more likely. But only juvenile Golden has extensive white at the base.