Brahminy Kite

1. Unmistakable white head and breast with rich chestnut-brown body

2. Broad wings with dark “fingered” wingtips and a short, white-tipped tail

3. Characteristic level-winged, sailing flight along coastlines and waterways

Brahminy Kites are opportunistic feeders, eating carrion, fish, insects, and crabs, and are skilled at snatching food from water surfaces or even stealing from other birds such as gulls, ospreys, and ibis. Their feet are relatively weak, so they rarely take large prey, but they are experts at snatching food in flight. They are also known for kleptoparasitic behaviour, regularly harassing other birds for their catch. Brahminy Kites build large stick nests in living trees near water, often in mangroves, and both parents share incubation and chick-rearing duties. The breeding season in Australia varies by region but generally occurs from April to October, with clutches of one to two eggs and an incubation period of around 26–28 days.

Brahminy Kites are widespread along Australia’s northern and eastern coastlines, especially in mangrove swamps, estuaries, and coastal wetlands. They are more common in the north and become rarer further south, but can also be seen over rivers, wetlands, and occasionally inland forests. They are often seen perched in coastal trees or mangroves, scanning for prey, and are most active at dawn and dusk.