In Malaysia, the island of Langkawi is named after the bird (kawi denoting an ochre-like stone used to decorate pottery, and a reference to the bird's primary plumage colour).Ī fable from central Bougainville Island relates how a mother left her baby under a banana tree while gardening, and the baby floated into the sky crying and transformed into Kaa'nang, the brahminy kite, its necklace becoming the bird's feathers.įor the Ibans of the Upper Rajang, Sarawak, Borneo, a brahminy kite is believed to be the manifestation of Singalang Burung when he comes down to earth. In Hinduism, it is considered as the contemporary representation of Garuda, the sacred bird of Vishnu. Known as elang bondol in Indonesia, the brahminy kite is the official mascot of Jakarta. In some incidents where brahminy kites mobbed Steppe Eagles (Aquila rapax), they were attacked and injured or killed.Ī number of ectoparasitic bird lice in the genera Kurodaia, Colpocephalum, and Degeeriella have been reported. They may mob larger raptors such as the Aquila eagles. They roost communally on large and isolated trees and as many as 600 have been seen at one location. When fishing over water, they may sometimes land in the water, but manage to swim and take off without much trouble. Young birds may indulge in play behaviour, dropping leaves and attempting to catch them in the air. A rare instance of a bird feeding on honey at the hive of Apis florea has been recorded. It is probable that the ants' secretions help to keep the feathers in good condition.īrahminy kites have even been recorded taking advantage of Irrawaddy dolphins herding fish to the surface, in the Mekong River. Noun Ornithology behaviour seen in some birds, in which the bird either picks up ants and rubs them on the feathers or stands with the wings spread and allows the ants to crawl over it. They may also indulge in kleptoparasitism and attempt to steal prey from other birds. It is primarily a scavenger, feeding mainly on dead fish and crabs, especially in wetlands and marshland, but occasionally hunts live prey such as hares and bats. The incubation period is about 26 to 27 days. Both parents take part in nest building and feeding, but likely only the female incubates. A clutch of two dull-white or bluish-white oval eggs measuring 52 x 41 mm is laid.

In some rare instances, they have been seen to nest on the ground under trees. They show considerable site fidelity nesting in the same area year after year. The nests are constructed of small branches and sticks with a bowl inside and lined with leaves, and are located in various trees, often mangroves.

In southern and eastern Australia, it is August to October, and April to June in the north and west. The breeding season in South Asia is from December to April. intermedius Blyth, 1865 is found in the Malay Peninsula and into the islands of the Sundas, Sulawesi, and the Philippines. girrenera (Vieillot, 1822) is found in New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, and Australia. flavirostris Condon & Amadon, 1954 is found in the Solomon Islands. indus (Boddaert, 1783) is found in South Asia. Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert first used the name Falco indus in 1783. The brahminy kite was described by French ornithologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 as l'Aigle Pondicery, and given the Latin binomial Aquila pondiceriana. However, the species is on the decline in some parts such as Java. It is evaluated as being of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. They are mainly seen in the plains, but can sometimes occur above 5000 feet in the Himalayas. They perform seasonal movements associated with rainfall in some parts of their range. This kite is a familiar sight in the skies of Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and southeast Asia and as far south as New South Wales, Australia, through which region it is widespread and resident.

Adults have a reddish brown plumage and a contrasting white head and breast which makes them easy to distinguish from other birds of prey.

They are found mainly on the coast and in inland wetlands where they feed on dead fish and other prey. They are found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia. 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.

Brahminy kite baby