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A photo of a Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)
Brahminy Kite

Brahminy Kite

Haliastur indus

The brahminy kite (Haliastur indus), formerly 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. 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. 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.
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Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Jacob Fischer
Jacob Fischer
Saturday 27 May 2023 - 5:53am
Australia
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Nick Newbz
Nick Newbz
Sunday 21 May 2023 - 6:31am
Australia
A map showing the sighting location
🐠
Matthew Jacobs
Sunday 21 May 2023 - 3:15am
Australia
A photo of a Brahminy Kite photographed in Vistamar Philippines
🐦
Thomas Cooper
Sunday 14 May 2023 - 11:34pm
Philippines
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