Brahminy Kite
Haliastur indus
栗鸢
Introduction
A medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Found across the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia, ranging from Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Iran, Pakistan, and Bangladesh through southeast Asia to New South Wales, Australia. Inhabits coasts and inland wetlands, primarily plains, though occasionally occurs above 5000 feet in the Himalayas. Distinctive for its contrastingly colored plumage and diet primarily consisting of dead fish and crabs. Assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, though populations are declining in Java.
Description
A distinctive raptor with contrastingly colored plumage: chestnut body feathers contrasting with white head, breast, and black wing tips. Similar in size to the black kite. Flight profile shows angled wings typical of kites, but unlike related Milvus species, has a rounded tail rather than a forked one. Juveniles are browner overall. The call is a distinctive mewing keeyew.
Identification
Adults are unmistakable with their reddish-brown body plumage contrasting sharply with white head and breast. Juveniles can be distinguished from both resident and migratory Asian black kites by their paler overall appearance, shorter wings, and rounded tail. The pale patch on the underwing carpal region is squarish in shape and helps separate it from Buteo buzzards. The rounded tail distinguishes it from red kites and black kites, which have forked tails.
Distribution & Habitat
Widespread and resident across Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, southeast Asia, and Australia (New South Wales). Primarily occurs on coasts and in inland wetlands, marshes, and plains. Performs seasonal movements associated with rainfall in parts of its range. Occasional records from elevations above 5000 feet in the Himalayas.
Behavior & Ecology
Breeding season varies by region: December to April in South Asia, August to October in southern and eastern Australia, and April to June in northern and western Australia. Nests are constructed of small branches and sticks with a leaf-lined bowl, typically in trees including mangroves; considerable site fidelity is shown. Clutch size is two dull-white or bluish-white oval eggs measuring 52 x 41 mm; incubation period is approximately 26 to 27 days. Primarily a scavenger feeding on dead fish and crabs, but also takes live prey including hares and bats. Known to steal prey from other birds (kleptoparasitism) and exploit fish caught by Irrawaddy dolphins. Roosts communally in large isolated trees, with up to 600 birds recorded at single locations. May mob larger raptors such as Aquila eagles, though this can result in injury or death.
Conservation
Assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. However, populations are declining in parts of Java, indicating localized threats despite the species' overall secure status.
Culture
Known as elang bondol in Indonesia and serves as the official mascot of Jakarta. In Hinduism, it is considered the contemporary representation of Garuda, the sacred bird of Vishnu. In Malaysia, the island of Langkawi derives its name from the bird (kawi refers to an ochre-like stone and the bird's primary plumage color). For the Ibans of Sarawak, the brahminy kite is believed to manifest Singalang Burung, the deity of war, when he descends to earth. A central Bougainville Island fable tells of a baby transformed into the bird (Kaa'nang) after floating into the sky while crying.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Haliastur
- eBird Code
- brakit1
Vocalizations
Subspecies (4)
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Haliastur indus flavirostris
Solomon Islands
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Haliastur indus girrenera
Moluccas, New Guinea, coastal northern Australia (Shark Bay to central New South Wales coast), and Bismarck Archipelago
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Haliastur indus indus
Indian subcontinent and southeastern Asia to southern China
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Haliastur indus intermedius
Malay Peninsula, Indonesian Archipelago, and Philippines
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.