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Okay, I've done some more homework ... and also searched this forum for "Tachina fera" now, not just "Tachina magnicornis". Only worked partly through that huge list though, but it's still not clear to me exactly what to look for ... below is my summary sofar ... Any tips on where to find definite info on he subject would be greatly appreciated! :)

Chris Raper states here that there are too many similar species in the south and that there is no comprehensive key for southern Europe. Also, here Theo warns about Portugal: "... they have praeceps as well, as some other species (casta). So take care!!".

That's probably clear enough an answer regarding my "southernish" European fly, but at least the two species I considered above seem to be central European aswell and I know some of the folks on insektenfotos.de would also be interesred to know what to look for to tell these apart.

Some of you (Theo, Paul, Chris, ...) seem to be able to do so in some cases (not all) with a fair amount of certainty by looking at an image.

Susan R Walter here seems to have some literature and comes up with (compressed):

T. magnicornis: Wider frons; Dorsal band widens on T5; Tarsi darker than tibia.

Not completely unlike what I'd found before, but more reliable I guess, but her notes/remarks remain unanswered and hence unconfirmed.

Then here Jorge Mota Almeida comes up with:

T. fera: no proclinate orbitals, yellow tarsi, and the interval between the eyes is distinctly less than width of 1 eye

(To which Theo later agrees).

In this thread Jorge inquires why Theo determined his (other) fly as magnicornis, not fera and suggest "Due to the arista?", but Theo must have missed it.

So, can the arista help in distinguishing the species?

Other genera not to be confused:
Eriothrix:
This thread suggests that maybe Eriothrix rufomaculata could be confused with these Tachina.

Gonia: This thread shows a Gonia vacua that is distinguished by "the very wide frons" (Chris) and Theo adds: "Not uncommon on the Balkan. Narrow black abdominal vitta and springtime are characteristic."

Linnaemyia: Chris' answers in this thread and here suggests Linnaemyia might also have look-alikes? Quote: The mouth-edge is strongly projecting and the basicosta seems pale - could it be a Linnaemyia sp."

Nowickia:
This thread brings us Nowickia cf. ferox mixed in with T. fera and Theo explains: "the ones with black legs, esp. black tibiae, and a strongly contracted black vitta on the abdomen are Nowickia, most likely N. ferox. Tachina has the tibiae and part of tarsi reddish (with T. grossa the obvious exception)."

Peleteria: As I've read here a clear foto of the (bristles in the) face would be good to distinguish between Tachina sp. and Peleteria sp.? Also, here Theo explains about P. rubescens: "strong bristles on the parafacialia ('wangen'), which Tachina doesn't have.". And also here: "Strong bristles on parafacialia near lower eye margin are characteristic".

Miscelaneous:
More Tachina vs. Peleteria vs. Nowickia here
A very pale-coloured aberrant T. fera.