The black kite (Milvus migrans) is not native to Singapore it is however known to visit the country to escape the winter season in its native ranges. A larger body size in female raptors is likely to enable them to be more successful in securing a territory, breeding and in rearing their young.
This phenomenon of reversed sexual size dimorphism is typically seen in birds-of-prey, where the females tend to be larger and heavier than the males. The male and female Brahminy Kites are identical in appearance, but the females can be 3-7% larger than the males. (Right) Juvenile Brahminy Kite in flight. (Left) Juvenile Brahminy Kite on grass patch, notice overall brown plumage colouration. In addition, the juvenile has a black beak. It also has fine streaks which are paler in colour than the adults that occurs along the crown of its head, nape and its undersides. The juvenile Brahminy Kite differs from the adult mainly in its plumage colouration the juvenile has an overall brown plumage, which is lighter at its head and undersides and darker on its upperparts. View of under-wing feathers of adult Brahminy Kite.
View of upper-wing feathers of adult Brahminy Kite. (For a diagrammatic illustration of the flight feathers of a bird's wing, see here.) The tail of this bird is relatively short and its tail base appears to be slightly rounded when it is in flight. Its under-wing coverts are also chestnut-coloured its under-wing and tail flight feathers are however paler brown in colour. The upper-wing feathers of the adult Brahminy Kite are chestnut-coloured, with characteristic black wing tips that spread out in a finger-like manner when it flies. Īdult Brahminy Kite perched on a tree branch, with body features labelled. It has a strongly hooked beak which can be yellow, grey or white in colour, and yellow feet with sharp, curved talons or claws. On closer inspection, one can find that it has fine streaks that run down its crown, nape, throat, chest and upper belly. The contrasting plumage colouration of this bird is one feature that many birders typically use to recognize it from afar. It has a white head, neck and chest and a characteristic chestnut-coloured body. Location: Recent sightings were at Changi, Tuas South, Punggol Barat, Central Catchment Forest, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Bulim Avenue and Choa Chu Kang Christian Cemetery.The Brahminy Kite is a medium-sized raptor, ranging from 45-51cm in length. Habitat: Open country, reclaimed land, coastal habitat and forest.Ĭonservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2021) Similar looking species: Booted Eagle, Brahminy Kite Juvenile resembles adult but has prominent whitish streaks on breast and belly.
BRAHMINY KITE PATCH
Identification: Adult resembles juvenile Brahminy Kite but has darker overall plumage, distinctive forked tail that appears almost square-cut when broadly fanned in flight and conspicuous whitish patch on the base of primaries. Subspecies are: migrans, lineatus, govinda, formosanus, affinis. Range: Found from Europe, Africa, Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, Siberia, China, Japan, Korea, Indochina and discontinously to Sulawesi, Lesser Sundas, Papua New Guinea and northern Australia with the northern temperate populations wintering south to Africa, Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia
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