Home › Aves › Accipitridae › Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)
SPECIES PROFILE
Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)
Haliastur
IUCN STATUS
Near Threatened
CONSERVATION STATUS
Near Threatened
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia
DIET
Carnivorous
HABITAT
Coastal wetlands rivers urban areas
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Accipitriformes
FAMILY
Accipitridae
GENUS
Haliastur
📋 Description
SIZE
45-50 cm long 400-600 g
COLORATION
Chestnut with white head breast black wingtips
ADAPTATIONS
Strong wings for soaring sharp talons for fish catching
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Coastal wetlands rivers urban areas
DIET
Carnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia
REPRODUCTION
Lays 2-3 eggs in tree nests incubated 26-30 days
DIET DETAILS
Fish small mammals carrion
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Habitat loss overfishing
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Coastal Soarers: Brahminy Kites glide with 500-gram bodies catching 100 grams of fish daily in Sundarbans' waters. Their white heads are striking.
2
Mangrove Hunters: These kites cover 3000 sq km in Odisha's estuaries nesting in trees. Pollution threatens their fish prey.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Sundarbans National Park in West Bengal
Chilika Lake in Odisha
Pulicat Lake in Tamil Nadu
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
October-March Dry season concentrates fish for spotting kites
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Watch Brahminy kites soaring over coastal waters
