Brahminy Kite

The brahminy kite (Haliastur Indus), also known as the red-backed sea-eagle in Australia, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers. They are 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. Adults have a reddish-brown body plumage contrasting with their white head and breast which make them easy to distinguish from other birds of prey.

Scientific Name : Haliastur Indus

Family : Accipitridae

Order : Accipitriformes

Class : Aves

Type : Hawks, Kites And Eagles

Conservation Status : Least concern (LC)

Size : 45 - 51 cm

Compare Size : Pariah Kite +-

Wingspan : 109 - 124 cm

Weight : 320 - 670 g

Migratory : Resident

Sex Alike : Yes

Nesting Season : December - April

Other Names :

English : Red-Backed Sea-Eagle

Hindi : ब्राह्मणी चील, धोबिया चील, खेमकरनी, रु मुबारक

Marathi : सागरी घार, ब्राह्मणी घार

Habitat:
Rivers, Jheels, Paddy fields, Fishing villages & Harbours on the seacoast, Mangroves and Mudflats

Breeding:
Eggs - 2, greyish white, speckled and blotched with dingy reddish-brown. Both sexes share domestic duties.

Feeding:
Offal, Fish, Frogs, Small snakes, Bats, Dead fish, Crabs

Male


Identification Features

Male & Female
Head white
Breast white
Wing tiped black
Note :
mostly reddish-brown/chestnut body plumage

SIGHTINGS

Date Location
2018-12-08 08 Dec 2018 Harihareshwar Beach, Raigad, Maharashtra
2024-05-01 01 May 2024 Diveagar, Maharashtra

Similar Birds

(Hawks, Kites And Eagles)