Hybride roofvogels in België en Nederland

A survey of approved records of hybrid raptors on a Dutch and Belgian observation website (www.waarneming.nl and www.waarneming.be) revealed several cases of hybridization, mostly of Saker Falcon x Gyrfalcon Falco cherrug x F. rusticolus (7x in The Netherlands, 4x in Belgium) and of Hen Harrier x Pallid Harrier Circus cyaneus x C. macrourus (resp. 2x and 6x). A single case of Red Kite x Black Kite Milvus milvus x M. migrans was recorded in The Netherlands. Hybrid falcons most likely all escaped from falconers, and their identification in the field poses serious problems.