This article is part of the Feathered Fridays series, a spotlight on different bird species that may be a wildlife hazard at your airports or aerodrome spaces.
Image: Juliana Chan
Risk Level: High Risk
Overview
The Brahminy kite is a medium-sized, rufous-brown raptor with a prominent, white head. In flight, they can be identified by their white head, black wing tips, and rounded tail base. For Americans and Canadians, this bird might look strikingly similar to the infamous bald eagle. Bald eagles are significantly larger than Brahminy kites, as well as nowhere near sharing the same range. Brahminy kites live across Asia and share ranges with the black kite and white-bellied sea eagle, both species could easily be confused for one. When identifying, white-bellied sea eagles are significantly larger with a full white body and black kites, though a similar size and shape, lack the bright white head.
Range
Brahminy kites are a common resident from the Indian subcontinent down to Australia. They tend to hug coastline areas throughout India, southeast Asia, and northern Australia.
Behaviour
As scavengers, Brahminy kites are frequently found picking up dead fish and crabs, but also occasionally feed on live fish, birds, and amphibians. Because they are specialized fish eaters, they can be found in coastal areas like mangroves. Unlike sea eagles and other fish-eating raptors, the Brahminy kite can adapt to inland habitats like rice paddy fields, old dredge mines, and even human developments like airports.
Brahminy kites mainly nest in mangrove trees or any tree near water bodies. They have two different breeding seasons, in Asia from December to April and in Australia, April to June. Some raptors like owls and hawks tend to be solitary, but it is not uncommon to find Brahminy kites in pairs or small groups, especially during breeding seasons.
Impact on Airfields
Raptors like the Brahminy Kite take refuge in airports and on runways due to their usually grassy and flat grounds. Airports create microhabitats that attract raptors and other birds with their abundance of prey species. Unfortunately for birds and airplanes, raptor strikes are common; therefore, causing bird deaths and costly airplane damages.
Brahminy kites tend to stand and sit on the runway more than other raptor species. This could be because of their diet; they sit and wait on the runway to scavenge on carrion or other dead animals. A simple, common, and easy way to reduce the number of raptors like the Brahminy kite in an airspace is by using anti-bird perching spikes. Sometimes the birds can adapt to spikes in an area rich in prey; when bird spikes do not do the trick, long range acoustic devices, stockwhips, pyrotechnics, and propane cannons all have their benefits when used in a correct manner.
Identifying which species are airside can help determine a species management program and to implement relevant actions that can prevent and reduce wildlife strikes in airports.
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