Whistling kite

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Whistling kite
Haliastur sphenurus 2 - Pitt Town.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Haliastur
Species:
H. sphenurus
Binomial name
Haliastur sphenurus
(Vieillot, 1818)

The whistling kite (Haliastur sphenurus) is a medium-sized diurnal raptor found throughout Australia (including coastal islands), New Caledonia and much of New Guinea (excluding the central mountains and the northwest). [2] Also called the whistling eagle or whistling hawk, [3] it is named for its loud whistling call, which it often gives in flight. Some authorities put this species in the genus Milvus , [4] despite marked differences in behaviour, voice and plumage between this species and other members of that genus. [2]

Contents

Description

Flying in Victoria, Australia Whistling kite in flight edit 1.jpg
Flying in Victoria, Australia

The whistling kite ranges in size from 50 to 60 cm (20 to 24 in), with a wingspan between 123 and 146 cm (4 ft 0 in and 4 ft 9 in). [2] Weights range from 380 to 1,050 g (0.84 to 2.31 lb) an average of 600 to 750 g (1.32 to 1.65 lb) for males and 750 to 1,000 g (1.65 to 2.20 lb) for females. [2] As with most raptors, females are larger and heavier than males; though there is considerable overlap between the sexes, females can be up to 21% larger and 42% heavier. [3] Southern birds are also larger than those found in the tropics. [2] Male and female plumages are the same. Adult birds are a pale buff on the head, breast and tail, with browner wings and black flight feathers. Immature birds are a heavily streaked reddish-brown with prominent pale spots on the wings. Throughout their lives, whistling kites have bone-colored legs and feet, which are unfeathered. Overall, the whistling kite looks small-headed and long-tailed, with wingtips falling well short of the tail tip when the bird is perched. Though its legs are short, the bird walks easily on the ground. [3] Whistling kites soar on slightly bowed wings, with their long flight feathers often well-splayed. The striking pattern on their underwings is distinctive.

Voice

This is a noisy species, calling regularly in flight and while perched—even while at the nest. Its most common call is a clear descending whistle, often followed (less often preceded) by a rapid series of rising notes. [5] Field research carried out in Taunton Scientific National Park, Central Queensland by Fiona Randall from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland has shown that spotted bowerbirds (Chlamydera maculata) in that park regularly mimic the calls of whistling kites, with the frequency of mimicry increasing as the breeding season progresses. [6] The function of this mimicry is unknown.

Habitat

A species of open or lightly wooded areas, whistling kites are typically found near water, at elevations ranging from sea level to 1400 meters. [3] Though the species as a whole is generally sedentary, some Australian birds are known to be nomadic, wandering to coastal areas in northern Australia during the dry season; some south Australian birds migrate to the south in the autumn. [5] There is some evidence that the species is declining locally in southern Australia due to the drainage of wetlands and an accompanying decline in food supplies. [2]

Behaviour

Whistling kites tend to be found singly or in pairs, but sometimes gather in larger groups, particularly during nomadic movements, at roost sites and at sources of plentiful food. [3]

Feeding

A whistling kite feeding on a dead bird on the Serpentine River, Western Australia Whistling kite (Haliastur sphenurus) on the Serpentine River, Barragup, August 2023 05.jpg
A whistling kite feeding on a dead bird on the Serpentine River, Western Australia

Whistling kites are indiscriminate in their tastes, taking small mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, insects and carrion. [2] [5] Those in Australia tend to take primarily live prey (except in the winter, when they subsist largely on carrion), while those in New Guinea are principally scavengers. [5] Most food items are taken either from the ground or from the water surface, though insects are sometimes captured in flight. [3] Whistling kites are also known to pirate meals from ibises and herons [5] and from other raptors, [2] and to force large waterbirds to regurgitate their catches. [3] They regularly patrol roads in search of roadkill, and hover over the edges of grass fires in search of potential prey fleeing the flames, sometimes carrying burning sticks and dropping them on unburnt areas. [7] When food is scarce they will almost entirely rely on finding carrion. [3]

Breeding

The whistling kite's nest is a bulky platform made of sticks and lined with green leaves, placed in an upright fork of a tall tree —often a eucalypt or pine in a riparian area. Pairs often re-use the same nest year after year, annually adding material until the platform becomes quite large. Females normally lay 2–3 bluish-white eggs, which are sometimes covered with reddish-brown blotches; clutches of 1–4 eggs have been recorded. [3] Eggs are incubated for 35–40 days, [3] and the species is reported to have a 60% hatching success. [2] Chicks, which are covered with cream- or buff-colored down feathers, spend 44–54 days in the nest before fledging, and are dependent on their parents for a further 6–8 weeks after leaving the nest. [2] [3] In Australia, the birds generally breed between June and October in the south, and between February and May in the north, though they may nest at any time after rain providing there are adequate food supplies. [5]

Gold Coast, SE Queensland

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accipitridae</span> Family of birds of prey

The Accipitridae is one of the three families within the order Accipitriformes, and is a family of small to large birds of prey with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-sized mammals, with a number feeding on carrion and a few feeding on fruit. The Accipitridae have a cosmopolitan distribution, being found on all the world's continents and a number of oceanic island groups. Some species are migratory. The family contains 255 species which are divided into 70 genera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern imperial eagle</span> Species of bird

The eastern imperial eagle is a large bird of prey that breeds in southeastern Europe and extensively through West and Central Asia. Most populations are migratory and winter in northeastern Africa, the Middle East and South and East Asia. Like all eagles, the eastern imperial eagle is a member of the family Accipitridae. Furthermore, its feathered legs mark it as a member of the subfamily Aquilinae. It is a large, dark-colored eagle, with a resemblance to other members of the genus Aquila but it is usually the darkest species in its range. This is an opportunistic predator that mostly selects smallish mammals as prey but also a fairly large proportion of birds, reptile and other prey types, including carrion. Compared to other Aquila eagles, it has a strong preference for the interface of tall woods with plains and other open, relatively flat habitats, including the wooded mosaics of the steppe. Normally, nests are located in large, mature trees and the parents raise around one or two fledglings. The global population is small and declining due to persecution, loss of habitat and prey. It has therefore been IUCN Red Listed as Vulnerable since 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wedge-tailed eagle</span> Bird of prey within the genus Aquila

The wedge-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in the continent of Australia. It is also found in southern New Guinea to the north and is distributed as far south as the state of Tasmania. Adults of this species have long, broad wings, fully feathered legs, an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail, an elongated maxilla, a strong beak and powerful feet. The wedge-tailed eagle is one of 12 species of large, predominantly dark-coloured booted eagles in the genus Aquila found worldwide. Genetic research has clearly indicated that the wedge-tailed eagle is fairly closely related to other, generally large members of the Aquila genus. A large brown-to-black bird of prey, it has a maximum reported wingspan of 2.84 m and a length of up to 1.06 m.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kite (bird)</span> Bird of prey

Kite is the common name for certain birds of prey in the family Accipitridae, particularly in subfamilies Milvinae, Elaninae, and Perninae. The term is derived from Old English cȳta, from the Proto-Indo-European root *gū- , "screech."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black kite</span> Species of bird

The black kite is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors. It is thought to be the world's most abundant species of Accipitridae, although some populations have experienced dramatic declines or fluctuations. Current global population estimates run up to 6 million individuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brahminy kite</span> Species of bird

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fan-tailed raven</span> Species of bird

The fan-tailed raven is a passerine bird of the crow family native to Eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-shouldered kite</span> Small raptor found in Australia

The black-shouldered kite, also known as the Australian black-shouldered kite, is a small raptor found in open habitats throughout Australia. It resembles similar species found in Africa, Eurasia and North America, including the black-winged kite, a species that has in the past also been called "black-shouldered kite". Measuring around 35 cm (14 in) in length, with a wingspan of 80–100 cm (31–39 in), the adult black-shouldered kite has predominantly grey-white plumage and prominent black markings above its red eyes. It gains its name from the black patches on its wings. The primary call is a clear whistle, uttered in flight and while hovering. It can be confused with the related letter-winged kite in Australia, which is distinguished by the striking black markings under its wings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater spotted eagle</span> Species of bird

The greater spotted eagle, also called the spotted eagle, is a large migratory bird of prey belonging to the family Accipitridae. Its feathered legs indicate that it is a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, also known as the "booted eagles." This species was once thought to be a member of the genus Aquila, but was reclassified to a distinct genus, Clanga, along with the two other species of spotted eagle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crested honey buzzard</span> Species of bird

The crested honey buzzard is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles, and harriers. Pernis ptilorhynchus has six subspecies. As a medium-sized raptor, their size ranges between 57–60 cm (22–24 in). They are also known as the Oriental, Asiatic, or Eastern honey buzzard. The name is derived from its diet, which consists mainly of the larvae of bees and wasps extracted from honey combs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steppe eagle</span> Species of bird

The steppe eagle is a large bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. The steppe eagle's well-feathered legs illustrate it to be a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, also known as the "booted eagles". This species was once considered to be closely related to the sedentary tawny eagle and the two forms have previously been treated as conspecific. They were split based on pronounced differences in morphology and anatomy; two molecular studies, each based on a very small number of genes, indicate that the species are distinct but disagree over how closely related they are.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Square-tailed kite</span> Species of bird

The square-tailed kite is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles and harriers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bateleur</span> Species of bird

The bateleur is a medium-sized eagle in the family Accipitridae. It is often considered a relative of the snake eagles and, like them, it is classified within the subfamily Circaetinae. It is the only member of the genus Terathopius and may be the origin of the "Zimbabwe Bird", the national emblem of Zimbabwe. Adult bateleurs are generally black in colour with a chestnut colour on the mantle as well as also on the rump and tail. Adults also have gray patches about the leading edges of the wings with bright red on their cere and their feet. Adults also show white greater coverts, contrasting with black remiges in males, gray patches on the underwing primaries and black wingtips. The juvenile bateleur is quite different, being largely drab brown with a bit of paler feather scaling. All bateleurs have extremely large heads for their size, rather small bills, large feet, relatively short legs, long, bow-like wings and uniquely short tails, which are much smaller still on adults compared to juvenile birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Letter-winged kite</span> Raptor native to Australia

The letter-winged kite is a small, rare and irruptive bird of prey that is found only in Australia. Measuring around 35 cm (14 in) in length with a wingspan of 84–100 cm (33–39 in), the adult letter-winged kite has predominantly pale grey and white plumage and prominent black rings around its red eyes. Its name derives from its highly distinctive black underwing pattern of a shallow 'M' or 'W' shape, visible when in flight. This distinguishes it from the otherwise similar black-shouldered kite. This species is also the only nocturnal species within the order Accipitriformes despite few differences found in its visual anatomy to other closely related kites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-breasted buzzard</span> Species of bird

The black-breasted buzzard is a large raptor endemic to mainland Australia. First described by John Gould in 1841, it forms part of the family Accipitridae and is most closely related to the square-tailed kite. It is a versatile hunter known for its special skill in cracking eggs. The species is common throughout most of its range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamond firetail</span> Species of estrildid finch

The diamond firetail is a species of estrildid finch that is endemic to Australia. It has a patchy distribution and generally occupies drier forests and grassy woodlands west of the Great Dividing Range from South East Queensland to the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. While it is a small stocky bird it is one of the largest finches in Australia. The birds are very distinctive with a black breast-band on a white breast. The flanks are black with white spots and it has a scarlet rump and a black tail.

<i>Haliastur</i> Genus of birds

Haliastur is a genus of medium-sized diurnal birds of prey. It consists of two species of kites which form part of the subfamily Milvinae; some authorities place these species in the genus Milvus, despite clear differences in behaviour, voice and plumage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted bowerbird</span> Species of bird

The spotted bowerbird is a sedentary, mid-sized passerine found across broad parts of the drier habitats of eastern Australia. The species is known for its remarkable behaviours, like many other bowerbirds (Ptilonorynchidae), which include bower building and decorating, courtship displays and vocal mimicry. Spotted bowerbirds are locally common, however, overall the population is thought to be in decline.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Haliastur sphenurus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22695091A93488811. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22695091A93488811.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Josep del Hoyo, ed. (1994). Handbook of the Birds of the World, volume 2 . Andrew Elliott, Jordi Sargatal. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN   84-87334-15-6.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Ferguson-Lees, James; David A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN   0-7136-8026-1.
  4. ↑ Slater, Peter; Pat Slater; Raoul Slater (1986). The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds . Sydney: Reed New Holland. ISBN   1-877069-00-0.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pizzey, Graham; Frank Knight (1997). Birds of Australia. London: HarperCollins. ISBN   0-00-220132-1.
  6. ↑ Randall, Fiona (2002). "Vocal Mimicry in Spotted Bowerbirds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
  7. ↑ Bonta, Mark; Gosford, Robert; Eussen, Dick; Ferguson, Nathan; Loveless, Erana; Witwer, Maxwell (December 2017). "Intentional Fire-Spreading by "Firehawk" Raptors in Northern Australia". Journal of Ethnobiology. 37 (4): 700–718. doi:10.2993/0278-0771-37.4.700. ISSN   0278-0771. S2CID   90806420 . Retrieved 21 October 2022.
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