From Opus

Photo by tcollins
Darwin Northern Territory, Australia, September 2009

Haliastur indus

[edit] Identification

43-51cm

• Chestnut
• White head and breast
• Black wing tips
• Yellow feet
  

Juveniles are browner

[edit] Distribution

Southern Asia to Australia.

Breeds in much of India and Sri Lanka and in mainly coastal areas from Burma and southern China south to Malaya and from the Philippines, Borneo and Sumatra east to New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and Solomon Islands, and Australia. In Australia a northern coastal species found from about Shark Bay in Western Australia to central New South Wales.

Photo by Weng Chun
Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary, Malaysia, October 2004

Resident.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies

Four subspecies are recognised^[1]:
nominate race breeds from India to China and Indochina
intermedius in Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia
girrenera in Australia, New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago
flavirostris in the Solomon Islands

[edit] Habitat

Coastal mudflats, islands, estuaries and mangroves up to 2,300m. In some areas common in coastal towns.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

It nests in mangrove trees, close to water. The nest is made of twigs and sticks, usually lined with dried mud. The 2 white eggs have scattered red-brown blotches. Both adults care for the young.

[edit] Diet

Sub-adult
Photo by Bobby6425
Philippines

The diet includes frogs, small snakes, crabs, insects and fish. It also scavenges.

[edit] Vocalisation

Call: a mewing keeyew, kweeaa or kyeeer.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. naturia

• List of references

[edit] External Links