Birds have a deep relation with Indian religion and mythology. The most venerated bird among them all though is the Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) referred as Garuda, the sacred bird of Vishnu in Hindu culture.
The Brahminy Kite is a handsome rusty red coloured hawk with a typical white head. This water loving bird is a resident of India and can be found throughout the year in Goa near estuaries, harbours, beaches, rivers and rice fields. They actively hunt for fishes hovering on top of the water body and swooping down quickly to pluck them out of water. They may also scavenge sometimes like Black Kites for food. Often crows keep a look out for a hunting Brahminy Kite and as soon as they find it with a prey will mob the bird to steal the prey from the kite’s talons.
Often Brahminy kites can be seen soaring above the waters of Mandovi and Zuari river scouting for fish while constantly uttering a harsh wheezy squeal like call “paeeeee” which sounds like the cry of an injured animal in distress. They have a broad spectrum of diet which includes fishes, frogs, lizards, small snakes and even insects like termites.
The first record of this species was by Dr. Salim Ali himself from Mayem Lake- Bicholim, when he had come to Goa on the first ornithological expedition. Even though they are residents, their numbers gradually decline in monsoons as they move towards the drier regions of Karnataka for a short while. Average day counts of this species can vary from anywhere between 20 to 35 individuals but larger congregations of this species have been reported from Zuari Agro Chemical’s reservoir in Vasco and Carambolim Lake in the past by Goan ornithologist Heinz Lainer.
Their breeding season in Goa as noted by Lainer starts in February and extends up to April. Sometimes a second brood may also be raised towards the end of August. The nest is a rough untidy structure built high up on a tree near water which is usually exposed. Each clutch has an average of two eggs. Males and females both share the task of nest building, incubation and collectively take care of the young.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed Brahminy Kite as a species of least conservation priority due to their wide spread distribution from India to the entire South-east Asia where they have a healthy population. It has been noted that in Goa, Brahminy kites get entangled in discarded fishing nets and often die a painful death. We could avoid this by spreading awareness amongst our fisher folk and see to that nets are not discarded in the water.
Image By: Chetna Goel
