WOW!
This is a Korean Magpie (Pica sericea). It is a common bird here in Korea - in fact, it is a national symbol. It is featured in many fables and stories and is believed to bring good luck and good visitors. There are lots of them where we live, and I often see them flying past my windows. But this week, I saw something different - something spectacular!
This week, while teaching English class with my two Korean students, we were distracted by two really large birds outside my window. At first we thought they were small birds flying close, but then we realized that they were big birds farther away. We were glued to the window, watching them fly and trying to figure out what they were. Much too big for a hawk. In fact, the more we looked, the bigger THEY looked - we estimated at least a 7- foot wingspan. I thought it was an eagle. One of my friends agreed, but the other thought it was a vulture. So, once the birds flew away, I looked them up. They share some similarities in appearance, especially when encountering them for the first time, so I am undecided. I didn't think to get my camera - too mesmerized by the birds. But I did find images of each one, and am posting them here. Either way, these are impressive birds!
This is the Monk or Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus). It is HUGE with a wingspan of between 8 and 9 1/2 feet, only slightly smaller than the Andean Condor. It is known to inhabit the area around the DMZ, especially in winter. It is a scarce bird and not often seen.
Here is a stamp from Afghanistan that features the Monk Vulture.
This is the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca). It is also a very large bird, with a wingspan of 5 3/4 to 7 1/2 feet, similar to a Golden Eagle. It is listed as a vulnerable species. It is considered an "accidental winter visitor" in South Korea and is rarely seen here.
The Eastern Imperial Eagel has a posatage stamp as well.
I really am undecided as to which bird I saw. I think size and the dark coloring on the back lead me to think it they were vultures, but size is hard to estimate - I have never measured a raptor against a block of apartments! Feather configuration and a light patch near the underside of the tail makes me think they were eagles, but the feet and legs of the vulture are also light. Whichever it is, I feel very lucky to have seen them. Either species is a rare sight. They were beautiful.
Needless to say, I have gotten little done the rest of this week that could not be done in front of a window, with camera and bird book close to hand. Perhaps I will get lucky and see them again.
Now you're talkin' Bill's language! One of his favorite things is bird watching. Unfortunately, in our area of Korea birds of any kind were REALLY scarce. We were beginning to wonder if they had killed them all off either by eating them or to protect their rice paddies.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was there I notice that the magpie had a slightly different sound that the ones in America. I didn't look it up to see that it wasn't a Pica Pica that were considered pests when I was growing up in St Anthony Idaho. They even had a bounty on heads ($.50) and eggs ($.10).
ReplyDeleteVultures usually soar with their wings in a negative dihedral (forming a "V") whereas the Eagle's wings are more straight out from the body.
Great post! Have you heard any Cuckoo birds? I heard my first one ever in Korea (Osan) then heard and saw many in Germany.