Brahminy Kite
Photo: Afsar Nayakkan · CC BY 4.0

Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks

Brahminy Kite

Haliastur indus

LCLeast Concern
Family
Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks (Accipitridae)
Order
Accipitriformes

Overview

The brahminy kite (Haliastur indus), also known as the red-backed sea-eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers, found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia. The brahminy kite is found mainly on the coast and in inland wetlands, where it feeds 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.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.