Little eagle or Whistling Kite, Australia (1 Viewer)

Full zoom video stills of circling bird above Lesmurdie Falls east of Perth, WA. Not sure if Whistling Kite or Little Eagle. Any help gratefully received.

Feels more like an immature Swamp Harrier to me.
The second shot is the top of the bird and the others below, yes?

Certainly underside of bird in 4 pics but not sure about pic 2 as it suddenly started to dive and perhaps twist as it went. But the whitish patch at the rump could well mean Swamp harrier....?

Yes, but the underwing pattern as well fits in the other 4 shots I think, although the shots are not the best!

Exposure not great, but if it is a pale rump in shot 2 as it appears then that seals it as a Swampy.

Not sure now. Do the fingers tell us anything? Only seem to be 4 and a short 5th whereas my old Pizzey shows Swamp Harrier with far more obvious fingers maybe 7 or 8? And still not sure if pic 2 is the top as I can't really see its twists well enough in the original video.

Looks like whistling kite to me

birdboybowley said:

Looks like whistling kite to me

Click to expand...

The tail is the wrong shape for a whistler, which would be longer and more rounded.

Looking at that 2nd shot on my work PC screen I'm still fairly sure that can only be the top of a raptor with a pale rump = Swamp Harrier surely?

mjh73 said:

The tail is the wrong shape for a whistler, which would be longer and more rounded.

Looking at that 2nd shot on my work PC screen I'm still fairly sure that can only be the top of a raptor with a pale rump = Swamp Harrier surely?

Click to expand...

I'm not totally sure, but it looks to me like photo 2 is from the underside [EDIT: Actually change that - I can't see any feet! Can anyone else on a better screen? ] - particularly look at the beak [could be either way] ..... surely the OP can confirm, though I note doubts to date.

I've tried lightening the various photos, though I can't seem to find enough sandiness to the body or forward edge of the wings for Whistler (though occasionally there are darker versions), that leaves one of the darker raptors. I would say Black Kite is probably out since there is no evidence of forking to the tail.

I don't think I've ever seen Little Eagles soaring (hardly ever) or gliding (not often) in that shallow wrist forward wing position, characteristic of Whistlers, Black Kites, Square-tailed Kites, and Harriers.

I can't be sure from these photos at all, but I don't think it is unreasonable if it came down to Swamp Harrier (is the tail light enough? and the legs long enough? - I'm not seeing it on my HD screen phone) or Little Eagle (dark morph) ....... :h?:

It's been a long time since I've watched these regularly, but I think I've got a bit of a lean on toward L.E. ....... unless of course photo 2 is of the topside and shows the white rump patch of a Swampy ?

[Tbh the photos aren't really good enough (for me) to accurately tell - it might be better to watch the video and try and pick up on the jizz - L.E. typical soars on 'plank like' wings in tight flat circles, where's a Harrier looks lankier and more 'floaty'. Also the L.E. has a distinctive 2 or 3 note whistle].



Chosun :gh: