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.

Photo by Weng Chun

[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. Resident.

[edit] Taxonomy

Four subspecies are recognised: 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 and 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

It nests in mangrove trees, close to water. The nest is made of twigs and sticks, often lined with dried mud. 2 white with sparse red-brown blotches, eggs are laid. Both parents raise the young.

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

[edit] Vocalisation

Call: a mewing keeyew, kweeaa or kyeeer usually while soaring.

[edit] External Links