Haliastur sphenurus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The whistling kite (Haliastur sphenurus) is a medium-sized diurnal raptor found throughout Australia (including coastal islands), New Caledonia and much of New Guinea (excluding the central mountains and the northwest). Also called the whistling eagle or whistling hawk, it is named for its loud whistling call, which it often gives in flight. Some authorities put this species in the genus Milvus, despite marked differences in behaviour, voice and plumage between this species and other members of that genus.
It is one of three birds that intentionally sets or spreads fires to catch prey. The other two are the black kite and brown falcon. The whistling kite ranges in size from 50 to 60 cm (20 to 24 in), with a wingspan between 123 and 146 cm (4 ft 0 in and 4 ft 9 in). Weights range from 380 to 1,050 g (0.84 to 2.31 lb) an average of 600 to 750 g (1.32 to 1.65 lb) for males and 750 to 1,000 g (1.65 to 2.20 lb) for females. As with most raptors, females are larger and heavier than males; though there is considerable overlap between the sexes, females can be up to 21% larger and 42% heavier.
Southern birds are also larger than those found in the tropics. Male and female... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Nitmiluk National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Cape Range | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 13 | Rottnest Island | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 15 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 16 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 17 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 18 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 19 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 20 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alice Springs Desert Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Taronga Zoo | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Billabong Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Australian Reptile Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Whistling Kite sighting in Great Otway National Park on a given day, based on 49 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 129th most-seen of the 175 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Whistling Kite in Great Otway National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to July, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Whistling Kite sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
16th of 20
Of the 20 parks where we can rate Whistling Kite sightings, Great Otway National Park ranks 16th at under 5%. The best odds are in Kakadu National Park (Australia, about 80%), Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (Australia, about 50%) and Litchfield National Park (Australia, about 50%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the Whistling Kite that you can see in Great Otway National Park (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are Wedge-tailed Eagle (about 10%) and Black-shouldered Kite (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Whistling Kite is recorded against all the birds logged in Great Otway National Park (49 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
