TCI Raptor Icentification help

[Matt Lerer]

I have been in the Turks and Caicos off and on for the last three weeks and came across this one that has me stumped. The wingspan has to be about 6 feet and the bird itself is very large. Downside of the trips was no proper gear for the Flamingos and other birds...which were all very cool!

Here's the raptor shot I took while photographing the rock iguanas on an island. Any ID help would be great!

[Jen Howell]

Matt -

It looks very much like a young Osprey to me..:confused:

[Matt Lerer]

Yep...I agree but this thing was at least twice the size of any adult osprey I have seen...and held in the past. Really huge.

[Roy Priest]

Yep...I agree but this thing was at least twice the size of any adult osprey I have seen...and held in the past. Really huge.

I agree this is an Osprey, maybe a really big one but an osprey.

[David Tyrer]

This is definitely an Osprey. The resident Caribbean Ospreys have an almost completely white head as illustrated in this photo. See Birds of the West Indies by Herbert Raffaele

[Matt Lerer]

Very cool...thanks for the ID!