Crested Eagle in Nusagandi

A week ago, José Carlos García photographed this dark phase Crested Eagle near the old Cabañas El Jaguar site in Nusagandi. Upon reviewing the photo, Panama Records Committee chair George Angehr points out the following diagnostic field marks:

• Crested Eagle has a rare all-dark morph. This form is not known to occur in Harpy Eagle. A Harpy should also show a distinct contrasting black chest band.
• Single pointed crest rather than double.
• Relatively slender legs and feet, much thinner than Harpy.
• Rounded rather than squarish tail.
• It's much too bulky and the crest is too long for Black Hawk-Eagle, which would also have feathered legs.

José Carlos also reports that the Nusagandi refuge is now cleaner than before, with two showers and two flushing toilets. Food-wise, there is a small fonda before Burbayar that's open for breakfast and lunch.