Family
Accipitridae
Description
Plumage pale-fawn to light-brown with pale streaks on head, back and breast and pale spots on upperparts. Black flight-feathers. Immature: more spotted and streaked.
Habits
Diurnal, Whistling kites often live alone or as a pair in the same area for years. Being kites they fly slowly and glide a lot as they search the ground for food.
Habitat
Woodland Grassland Forest Coastal Wetlands Stone Country, Mangroves; open woodland; inland waters and fringing forests; floodplains, escarpment. Nest are built in Paperbark forests close to floodplains.
Notes
Distinguished from black kite by the whistling kite's unforked, round-lipped tail and generally paler appearance.
Breeding
January February March April May June July August September October November December, 2 to 3; white or bluish-white, spot lav & red brown eggs Breed wherever there is ample food, taking about 6 weeks to raise 2 or 3 independent young.
Parks
Kakadu National Park
Diet
Carnivore, Scavenger; dead fish and offal; small mammals; birds; lizards; carrion. Mainly on insects and lizards but a large part of the diet may come from dead animals.
Details
Common Name: |
Whistling Kite |
Scientific Name: |
Haliastur (Milvus) sphenurus |
Sub Order: |
Unavailable |
Order: |
Falconiformes |
Class: |
Aves |
Category: |
Native |
Status: |
Least Concern |
Size: |
510 585 mm, span up to 1.2 m. |
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