The Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) is carnivorous, taking a variety of animal foods like mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish and even carrion. It forages by quartering, seizing its prey by gliding down or diving. Sometimes it even gives a short chase at ground level.
Prey is often eaten on the wing. This is thought to cut down on losses to other birds, although the bird themselves are prone to kleptoparasitism – robbing other birds of their food.
The images here show a Brahminy Kite with a bird clutched in its talon (left top) and regularly taking bites when in flight (left bottom). Other raptors usually take the prey to a perch where it is eaten (see related posts below).
Input and images by Willis.
This post is a cooperative effort between www.naturepixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.