Behaviour
Diet
Kites are predators/scavengers and commonly eat dead animals (carrion) and fish washed onshore. They also steal prey from other birds.
Field Guide
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Brahminy Kite
Did You Know?
- They are widespread throughout tropical Asia.
- They can also be found scavenging at waste at tips and roadsides, which in the long term may cause detrimental effects on the brahminy’s health.
Brahminy kites are medium sized birds of prey common in coastal areas. Adults have an unmistakable white head and chest with a chestnut brown coloured body. They have dark coloured eyes and a strongly hooked, yellow beak. The tail is relatively short and can have white tips.
Size
male 45 cm, female 51 cm with an average wing span of 120 cm
What to Observe
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Courting/Mating
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Presence
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Feeding
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Bird on nest
Climate Adaptations
Brahminy kites are predator/scavengers and commonly eat dead animals (carrion) and fish washed up on beaches or steal prey from other birds. They are an important predator /scavenger in coastal areas and their presence can indicate a healthy ecosystem.
When and Where
When To Look
Throughout the year
Where To Look
- Brahminy kites are coastal birds and can normally be found along shorelines, estuaries and in mangrove swamps
- They can sometimes be seen over forests and along rivers
- Carnarvon WA, NT, QLD, NSW, possibly northern Victoria
Similar Species
Juvenile brahminy kites are easy to confuse with many other birds of prey, so record only on adults which are easier to identify. Ospreys, whistling kites and black-breasted kites can all look similar when on the wing; however, brahminy kites can be distinguished by their dark ‘fingered’ wingtips, chestnut brown wings and body that is half white and half brown.
