fork-tailed kite

Black Kite, aka Fork-tailed Kite

Photo taken at sunrise. Back to Australian birds.

Many thanks for helping me to ID the two birds yesterday. These Black Kites are known to spread fires in the NT area, by picking up smouldering twigs and dropping them in an un-burnt area to get food such as insects etc.

I found a roost for these Black Kites in a park in Darwin. Took a number of photographs as the sun rose at dawn.

I am told they will pick up smouldering twigs and drop them in an un-burnt part of the bush, to deliberately start a fire, so they can feed on insects and other animals killed by the fire.

These birds were just about everywhere in the Darwin area and Northern Territory. Many were seen feeding on dead kangaroos in the road. One had to blow the car horn to clear them off the carcases, so they would not be hit by the car.

have just returned from a trip to the northern Flinders ranges and lake Eyre and this was the first bird to greet us.Got to watch him swoop after and miss his lunch a few times which was exciting to see.