brahminy kite

The brahminy kite is distinctive and contrastingly coloured, 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. Beak of Haliastur showing the characteristic circular nostril The brahminy kite is about the same size as the black kite (Milvus migrans) and has a typical kite flight, with wings angled, but its tail is rounded unlike the Milvus species, red kite, and black kite, which have forked tails. The two genera are, however, very close. The call is a mewing keeyew.

Frequently perches on tall tree overlooling water. Vicinity of water, fresh or salt; marshes, flooded paddy-fields, tanks, reservoirs, rivers, lakes, estuaries, harbours, coastal lagoons, mangroves andfishing villages.

Brahminy Kite feeds on wide variety of small preys and carrion. It hunts for mammals, birds, reptiles, aquatic animals taken with the talons, crustaceans, amphibians, fish. . . It hawks flying insects and performs piracy from fishing birds. They gather around large carcasses where they squeal.

Brahminy Kite utters mewing calls keeyew usually while soaring. However, it is usually silent. In addition to mewing notes, it gives some bleating pee-ah-ah-ah

The Brahmany Kite is a familiar sight in the skies of India Pakistan Bangladesh and southeast Asia and as far south as New South Wales Australia through which region it is widespread and resident. It has a typical kite flight with wings angled but its tail is rounded unlike the Milvus species Red Kite and Black Kite which have forked tails. The Brahminy Kite is an attractive bird with chestnut plumage except for the white head and breast and black wing tips.