Raptors in Singapore

[Wham]

I was down by the Esplanade yesterday after lunch and saw what appeared to be three beautiful large raptors flying around the harbor. I have searched on the web and the only thing that i can come up with is the Greater Spotted Eagle, however this does not appear a match. Does anyone know what the birds might be and/or what varieties of raptors frequent Singapore?

[Baron Greenback]

Could they have been kites?

[Bremen]

I have a pair of Sea eagles nesting near my place (up north). There's a rather healthy population of sea eagles in SG. Mind you, sea eagles are actually large kites:

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/bi ... eagle.html

http://www.wildsingapore.com/chekjawa/text/s231.htm

[Wham]

Bremen,

thanks for the links - beautiful birds - but these were completely dark brown or auburn with a lighter patch showing on the under side mid wing as the flew overhead. I have never seen them in Singapore before.

Wham

[Baron Greenback]

My apologies Kites are raptors apparantly, ornithology was never my strong point.

Did they look like this?

http://www.blackboysinn.co.uk/bird1.jpg

[Bremen]

Bremen,

thanks for the links - beautiful birds - but these were completely dark brown or auburn with a lighter patch showing on the under side mid wing as the flew overhead. I have never seen them in Singapore before.

Wham

Hmmm. Ospreys migrate through here:

http://www.wildsingapore.com/chekjawa/text/s232.htm


Is it that one?

[Bremen]

My apologies Kites are raptors apparantly, ornithology was never my strong point.

Did they look like this?

http://www.blackboysinn.co.uk/bird1.jpg

That looks like a european kite.

[Wham]

They were definitely not Ospreys. The light patch under the wings was more of a backward V around midwing - and just noticeable in that it was light brown as opposed to the rest of the dark brown.

[Wind In My Hair]

could it be a brahminy kite? we get quite a few of those around here:

http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/birds/H ... _indus.htm

[Wham]

Wimh - you may be right - I am now beginning to think that they may have been juvenile Brahminey Kites or Fish Eagles in that there were three and they appeared to act like three young birds as opposed to more commonly solitary adults. This could also explain their lighter plumage. I will think i will walk down over the weekend and try to get some photos. I have also e-mailed some bird sites.