10 Medium-Sized Raptors or Bird of Prey in India
Birds of Prey are also known as raptors who hunt and feed on other animals and detect prey during flight and powerful talons. Big raptors or birds of prey of the Indian Subcontinent includes Osprey,Indian Spotted Eagle,Tawny eagle,Indian eagle-owl,Himalayan vulture and fish eagle.
These flying predators also includes small and medium-sized raptors such as Shikra, Honey Buzzard, Indian Shaheen, Marsh Harrier and Black-Shouldered Kite.
Shikra (Accipiter badius) ! Indian Hawk
Shikra is a true Indian Raptor or Indian Hawk, found in a large range of habitats including dense forests, open farmland and urban areas.
The Shikra is a small-medium sized bird of prey also called the little banded goshawk and the most favorite bird among falconers in India.
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
The Eurasian sparrowhawk is a diurnal raptor that breeds in southern Asia and in the Himalayas foothills of India. Eurasian sparrowhawk, Crested goshawk and Northern goshawk are few more species of Hawks found in India that hunts on small mammals, birds and reptiles.
Besra Sparrowhawk (Accipiter virgatus)
Besra bird of prey is a widespread resident of dense forests in the Indian subcontinent. This medium-sized raptor is like a darker version of the widespread shikra and hunting technique is similar to small hawks.
Oriental Hobby (Falco severus)
The Oriental hobby bird of prey is another raptor found mainly in the Indian subcontinent across the eastern Himalayas. They are listed as species of falcon, another one is Eurasian hobby.
Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)
Brahminy kite is a beautiful colored medium-sized bird of prey found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia.
The reddish-brown body plumage Brahminy kite is considered the sacred bird of Lord Vishnu – Garuda.
Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)
The harrier bird of prey is a medium-sized raptors and hunts on small mammals, frogs, fish, insects and birds. There are 5 different species of harrier found in India, these medium sized bird of prey are true raptors of India.
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
The common kestrel is a bird of prey species also known as the European kestrel,occurs over a large range of Rajasthan to Andhra Pradesh. Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary and Tal Chhapar Sanctuary of Rajasthan in the Shekhawati region of India are best place to spot Kestrel bird of prey in India.
White-eyed Buzzard (Butastur teesa)
The white-eyed buzzard is one of the 5 species of buzzard found in India, A medium-sized hawk bird of prey in the genus Buteo. This medium sized bird of prey breeds in woodlands and eats mainly small mammals.
Black-winged Kite (Black-shouldered Kite) (Elanus caeruleus)
Black-shouldered kite is a medium-sized raptor found in open habitat and grasslands along roadsides. This species of raptor is best known for unique habit of hovering over open grasslands in search of prey, can be confused with the Australian black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris).
The long-winged raptor is some time combined with the Black-winged kite and best known for hovering over open grasslands.
Black Kite (Milvus migrans govinda)
The black kite and its subspecies are known as black-eared kite, small Indian kite also known as pariah kite, found throughout the subcontinent.
The black pariah kites are most common bird of prey in India, especially found in areas of high human population and cities,Indian pariah kites are resident while black-eared kite are migratory.
