Commonly Observed Native Animals in the NT
Whistling kite (Haliastur sphenurus)
Family: Accipitridae
Other names: Whistling eagle, Whistling hawk, Chicken hawk, Kite hawk.
Conservation Status:
- Australia: Least Concern
- NT: Least Concern
Description
The Whistling kite is named because of its distinctive loud whistling call.
It is a medium sized bird of prey with a light brown head and underbelly. Its primary feathers are a mixture of dark and pale brown and it has a long rounded tail. Females are slightly larger than males growing up to a 59cm with a wingspan up to 120cm.
Distribution
The Whistling kite can be found in nearly all regions of Australia, except in the very arid deserts in WA and western SA. It is normally found soaring near water sources and open woodlands and plains.
Ecology
The Whistling kite preys on small mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, fish, crustaceans and insects and can also behave as a scavenger. They can often be seen on NT roads eating road-kill.
The Whistling kite usually builds its nest in tall eucalypt trees where it can lay clutches of 1 to 4 eggs. Eggs are incubated for approximately 35 days, after which the parents care for the chicks for about 45-55 days before fledging. Breeding season in the NT is towards the end of the wet season, between February and May.
Potential Threats
Populations of the Whistling kite in southern Australia are featuring decline due to drainage of wetlands systems and the prey that depend on those systems. Destruction of wetland habitat in the NT would be a potential threat to populations of Whistling kite.
