Red-backed sea-eagle
The Brahminy kite (Haliastur indus) is a medium-sized bird of prey found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia. They are found mainly on the coast and in inland wetlands, where they feed on dead fish and other prey.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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ScavengerScavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While sc...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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Soaring birdsSoaring birds can maintain flight without wing flapping, using rising air currents. Many gliding birds are able to "lock" their extended wings by m...
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CongregatoryCongregatory animals tend to gather in large numbers in specific areas as breeding colonies, for feeding, or for resting.
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Brahminy kite is distinctive and contrastingly colored, with chestnut plumage except for the white head and breast and black wing tips. The juveniles are browner but can be distinguished from both the resident and migratory races of black kites in Asia by the paler appearance, shorter wings, and rounded tail. The pale patch on the underwing carpal region is of a squarish shape and separated from Buteo buzzards.
Brahminy kites are found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia. They are mainly seen in the plains but also in coastal regions, estuaries, wetlands, mangrove swamps, and even in urban areas.
Brahminy kites don't migrate but perform seasonal movements associated with rainfall in some parts of their range. They are usually seen alone or in pairs and may roost communally on large and isolated trees. Brahminy kites hunt by day soaring high in the air looking for prey. They may also hunt from a perch, or on the ground. They may also indulge in kleptoparasitism and try to steal prey from other birds. Brahminy kites have even been recorded taking advantage of Irrawaddy dolphins herding fish to the surface. These birds are generally silent, however, when they need to communicate with each other, they utter a mewing 'keeyew' call or a lamb-like 'pee-ah-ah-ah'.
Brahminy kites are carnivores and scavengers. They are primarily scavengers and feed mainly on dead fish and crabs, especially in wetlands and marshland, but occasionally hunt live prey such as hares, bats, and flying insects.
Little information is known about the mating system in Brahminy kites. However, like most species of kites, they might be monogamous and form long-lasting pair bonds. Their breeding season varies with location. In South Asia, it occurs from December to April. In southern and eastern Australia, it is August to October and April to June in the north and west. Brahminy kites nest solitarily in the same area year after year. Their nests are located in various trees, often mangroves; they are constructed of small branches and sticks with a bowl inside and lined with leaves. In some rare instances, they may nest on the ground under trees. The female lays a clutch of 2 dull-white or bluish-white oval eggs. Both parents take part in nest building and feeding, but likely only the female incubates. The incubation period lasts about 26 to 27 days. The chicks fledge when they are 44-56 days old and remain with their parents for another 2 months. They become reproductively mature and are ready to breed at 2 years of age.
Brahminy kites are not considered globally threatened at present. However, their populations are declining due to hunting and collection of nestlings, disturbances, overuse of pesticides, and habitat loss.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total Brahminy kite population size is more than 100,000 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.
