Black-shouldered Letter-winged Kite Osprey p. 10 p. 14 Square-tailed p. 6 Kite p. 18

Pacific Baza Black Kite p. 26 p. 30 Black-breasted Buzzard Whistling Kite p. 22 p. 34

Brown Goshawk p. 46 Collared Grey Sparrowhawk Goshawk p. 50 p. 54 White-bellied Sea-Eagle p. 38 p. 42

180817 Identifying Australian of Prey in Flight 2pp.indd 4 18/09/2018 17:16:48.67 Spotted Harrier p. 58 p. 62 Swamp Harrier p. 66 Wedge-tailed Eagle p. 70

Nankeen Kestrel Grey Falcon p. 78 Australian Hobby Brown Falcon p. 90 Little Eagle p. 86 p. 74 p. 82

Black Falcon p. 94 Peregrine Falcon p. 98 Eurasian Hobby p. 106 Oriental Honey-Buzzard p. 102

180817 Identifying Australian Birds of Prey in Flight 2pp.indd 5 18/09/2018 17:16:50.51 Osprey Pandion haliaetus

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180817 Identifying Australian Birds of Prey in Flight 2pp.indd 8 18/09/2018 17:16:57.15 Osprey Pandion haliaetus

Overview: Large, bicoloured, big-footed aquatic hawk that flies buoyantly with slow, gentle, somewhat stiff wing beats; soars and glides on long, angular, M-shaped bowed wings; hovers; dramatically plunges head- first into water with feet thrown forwards; submerges (rather than snatching off the surface). Gives a distinctive ‘shiver’ to shed water when resuming flight after emerging from water. but level with the head when fully flexed Confusion species: Easily confused with in a fast glide. Tail length somewhat less immature White-bellied Sea-Eagle, and than body (including head), making it potentially confused with juvenile Brahminy look long necked and short tailed in Kite, pale-bellied Whistling Kites. flight. Head (including bill) rather long and prominent; flat crown; deep bill. Key identification points ●● : Overall white head and under- ●● Primary distinguishing features: Dis- body and brown dorsal surface; pale tinctive bowed M-shaped wing in profile underside, dark upperparts evident when when gliding. Stiff wing beats. Hovers. circling at a distance; dark eye-stripe and Appears somewhat long necked and short mottled breast-band (if present) not obvi- tailed in flight. ous at a distance; barred underwings and ●● Size: 56–66 cm body, 149–168 cm wing- tail, and dark carpal patch on underwing, span. Larger and more heavily built than evident at closer range. Brahminy Kite and Whistling Kite, ●● Close-up: During close-up overhead approaching White-bellied Sea-Eagle in views the eye-stripe, breast-band (if pre- size though more slender and narrow sent) and large grey feet and talons are winged. very prominent. ●● Shape: Distinctive M-shaped wing in profile when gliding. Angular, slightly to Identifying age and sex: When seen moderately fingered wings when viewed together, the female is slightly larger than the from behind or obliquely; somewhat male, and in adult plumage the male has little curved trailing edge to wing, approxi- to no mottled breast-band. Adults have plain mately parallel to leading edge when upperparts and (at close range) pale yellow to wings flexed; primaries fingered when orange-yellow eyes that are very prominent fully spread, but tapered to a long, moder- and somewhat glaring; juveniles are overall ately pointed wing-tip when partly closed; rustier with more streaked crown and nape, tail square when furled, but rounded cream-spotted upperparts (lost with wear), when fanned. broader and heavier breast-band, and (at ●● Proportions: Wrists are set well back close range) have orange-yellow to orange from the front of the head when soaring, eyes.

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180817 Identifying Australian Birds of Prey in Flight 2pp.indd 9 18/09/2018 17:16:57.70 Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris

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180817 Identifying Australian Birds of Prey in Flight 2pp.indd 12 18/09/2018 17:17:01.62 Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris

Overview: Small, lithe, delicate, mostly white hawk that flies with winnowing beats, soars/ glides on raised tern-like V-shaped wings; hovers in semi-upright posture with tail depressed and legs lowered; drops feet-first with wings raised high. Black carpal spot on underwing not obvious at a distance. Diurnal.

Confusion species: Easily confused with Letter-winged Kite. Also potentially con- fused with Nankeen Kestrel, Grey Falcon. almost level with the head when fully flexed in a fast glide. Tail length less than Key identification points body (including head), making it look ●● Primary distinguishing features: Sharp somewhat short tailed in flight. Head winged; white bodied; wings held in rather short and broad, slightly domed; bill strong V-shape when gliding. Hovers small and not prominent. with body hanging down. Primarily dif- ●● Plumage: Overall white with grey wings fers from the very similar Letter-winged and black ‘shoulders’ (inner forewings); Kite (which is normally restricted to arid pale body and raised wings evident when environs) in being diurnal, and by having circling at a distance; black carpal spot a small black carpal spot on the under- and dark primaries on underwings and wing (as opposed to a thick black line). white unmarked tail only obvious at ●● Size: 33–37 cm body, 82–94 cm wingspan. closer range. Similar in size to Nankeen Kestrel but ●● Close-up: During close-up overhead more robust, broader winged and shorter views the red eyes, black eyebrow and tailed; smaller than Grey Falcon. yellow feet are conspicuous. ●● Shape: Pointed, raised V-shaped wings when viewed from behind or obliquely; Identifying age and sex: The male and wing-tips gently pointed and not fingered female are similar, only distinguishable by when fully spread, but tapered to a long behaviour, such as courtship, copulation and point when partly closed; tail square to food provision by the male, when seen slightly notched when furled, but rounded together and interacting. Juveniles are when fanned. washed or streaked rusty on the foreparts, ●● Proportions: Wrists are set well back from the dorsal feathers are fringed white, and (at the front of the head when soaring, but close range) the eyes are brown.

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180817 Identifying Australian Birds of Prey in Flight 2pp.indd 13 18/09/2018 17:17:02.15 Red Goshawk Square-tailed Kite

flat shape shallow V-shape

long

strong wrists level bulge with front protrudes of head

parallel leading and trailing edge

bulky body

square roundish

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180817 Identifying Australian Birds of Prey in Flight 2pp.indd 112 18/09/2018 17:18:49.08 Brown Falcon Swamp Harrier

raised modified V-shape V-shape

pale rump

blocky

deep wing

fingered

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180817 Identifying Australian Birds of Prey in Flight 2pp.indd 113 18/09/2018 17:18:50.00