I've not seen Black Kites catching fish previously, but the food source was so ample, it wasn't surprising. These photos were taken at Lake Woods, near Elliott NT, last week.
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Also amazing. I hope to one day see the kites aroudn here catchigng something
A good mouse plague would fulfill your wish, Birdgirl. But I wouldn't wish that on anyone! About 15 years ago we had a massive mouse plague & the black kite numbers erupted, so much so that we had a number stay on after the mouse plague dissipated. About 5 years after the plague I recall seeing about a dozen black kites near our place. We only see the occasional black kite now but it was a fascinating phenomenon. It makes me wonder if we'd see less mouse plagues if we had more habitat for birds like the black kite.
RJ, i see you are in the NT, or least these photos were! I live around Darwin, and have noticed a decline in Black kite numbers in the last few years, (there used to be hundreds in thermal currents, wheeling over the top of the city at times) which i attributed to the march of the Cane toad, but maybe is just a population thing? Any one else on here have a theory on why this might be the case?
Cheers
Hi HendoNT, I wouldn't be surprised if the rainfall has changed their habits over the past couple of years. I've noticed there are a lot less in Alice Springs (my home base) recently, but there are certainly huge numbers around Elliott right now. See the photo below!
I've succumbed to the birding bug!
Alice Springs, NT
I believe black kites respond to outbreaks of anything they can eat. Around 20 years ago there as an irruption of black kite numbers around Murray Bridge & west to near where I live in SA because of a mouse plague. (Not that I depend on a mouse plague for my place of residence.) It's only been in the last year or so that they seem to have disappeared altogether which is a bit surprising as the mouse numbers have increased over about the last 18 months. Maybe they'll be back soon if I can encourage those mice enough!!
Fantastic pics of fantastic birds. I must look it up and see if they dwell around here too.
Karen
Brisbane southside.