Home / Nature

Brahminy Kite

The Brahminy Kite is a medium-sized raptor or bird of prey. It is one of the commonest raptors in Singapore and is often seen hunting along the coast or reservoirs. While it commonly hunts fish, it will also feed on carrion.

Description
A very distinctive bird with its rich chestnut brown body and wings, the head and breast are white. It calls with a high-pitched mew.

Reproduction
For nesting, it typically uses emergent trees in the mangroves. Outside of mangroves, it nests in Casuarina and Tembusu trees. Nests are between 60 to 90 cm wide and lined with dried mud. Building and repair of nests occurs from late October to March. Eggs are a dull chalky white and laid either between December and March or in mid-June. Usually two chicks are raised in the months January to mid-August but mostly in the earlier part of the season.

Diet
It typically hunts for fish above water. However, it is opportunistic and will take small birds, amphibians, carrion and even flying termites. The Brahiminy is also kleptoparasitic: meaning that it will snatch food from other raptors. It often eats while in flight.

Habitat and range
It lives along the coast, especially where there are mangroves and mudflats. It can also be found inland where there are open spaces like paddyland and old dredge mines. Found throughout Southeast Asia, its range extends from India in the east to the Solomon Islands in the west. Also found in China as far north as the Chang Jiang (Yangtze River) and northern Australia. Wanderers have been sighted in western Micronesia.

References
The second series of currency notes for Singapore issued between 1976 and 1984 featured birds. The second highest denomination note in this series: the S$1,000 note, featured a perched Brahminy Kite on the front. In Malaysia, the Brahminy Kite is the Iban god of war, Singalang Burung. It is also Kedah's symbol. Langkawi is named after it as well: Lang Kawi being an old Malay name for the Brahminy Kite.

Variant Names
English Names: Brahminy Kite.
Scientific Names: Haliastur indus, Milvus indus.
Malay Names: Helang tikus ("Rat Raptor"), lang merah ("blood-coloured raptor"), lang kawi ("kawi raptor").
Chinese Names: Hei Chi Yuan ("black-winged kite"), Li Yuan ("chestnut kite").



Author
Timothy Pwee 



References
Lim, K. S. (1999). Pocket checklist of the birds of the Republic of Singapore. Singapore: Nature Society, Bird Group Records Committee.

Lim, K. S. (1997). Birds: An illustrated field guide to the birds of Singapore. Singapore: Sun Tree Publishing.
(Call no.: RSING 598.095957 LIM)

Madoc, G. C. (1985). Burung-burung semenanjung Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Persatuan Pencinta Alam. 

Wells, D. R. (1999). Non-passerines. In The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. (Vol. 1). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
(Call no.: RSING 598.0959 WEL)

Yong, H. S. (1998). Animals. In The encyclopedia of Malaysia. (Vol. 3). Singapore: Archipelago Press.
(Call no.: R 959.5003 ENC)

Times advanced Chinese dictionary: Federal Publications (1998). Singapore: Federal Publications.
(Call No: 495.13 TIM)

Ponnampalam, A. (2000, Sep 5). A National Bird for Malaysia? The New Straits Times. p. 3. 

The information in this article is valid as at 2002 and correct as far as we can ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Nature>>Animals
Birds--Singapore
Birds of prey--Singapore
Science and technology>>Zoology>>Birds



All Rights Reserved. National Library Board Singapore 2004.