Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus girrenera)

A few of these unmistakable, majestic kites were circling the road in the company of a fairly large congregation of Black Kites (Milvus migrans). Two subspecies are found in New Guinea. This is H. i. girrenera which breeds on the main island and adjacent Australia. It has a dull olive-gray bill as seen here. The race H. i. flavirostris found on adjacent Bougainville and Solomon islands has a bright yellow bill. Both races have their head and breast entirely white, lacking the fine streaking of other subspecies in India and Southeast Asia.