It is easy to distinguish a Brahminy kite from other birds of prey; adults have a reddish-brown body plumage contrasting with their white head and breast. Also known as the red-backed sea-eagle, the Brahminy kite is a bird of prey found mainly on the coast and in inland wetlands.
This kite is a familiar sight in the skies of Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia and as far south as Australia. Brahminy kites usually prey on fish and insects. They often steal food from other birds, such as gulls, terns, ibis and other raptors. They also often scavenge carrion on the ground like many others in their family. They also take advantage of schools of Irrawaddy dolphins that bring fish to the surface.
Brahminy kites roost communally on large and isolated trees and as many as 600 have been seen at one location!