Whistling Kite
Calls & Sounds
Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus)
The Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus) is a large raptor common throughout much of Australia. Whistling Kites are a particularly vocal species of a bird-of-prey and their distinctive calls are a common bird sound of tropical northern Australia.
What does a Whistling Kite sound like? The typical call of a Whistling Kite consists of a shrill descending whistle followed by a series of rising chattering notes. These calls are arguably Australia’s most iconic bird-of-prey sound. Whistling Kites also make a range of other sounds including harsh chatters, whistles and trills.
Listen to some examples of Whistling Kite sounds below.
Listen to Whistling Kite Sounds
The audio in the video below captures the typical calls of Whistling Kites. Recorded in Nuga Nuga National Park, Queensland, Australia.
License Audio
License audio for use in documentaries, film, radio, sound installations and more…
Australian Bird Sounds
Other bird calls from the Australian bush:
- Bellbird, Crested
- Black Cockatoo, Red-tailed
- Black Cockatoo, Yellow-tailed
- Boobook, Australian
- Bowerbird, Golden
- Bowerbird, Satin
- Bowerbird, Spotted
- Budgerigar
- Butcherbird, Grey
- Butcherbird, Pied
- Catbird, Spotted
- Cassowary, Southern
- Chowchilla
- Cockatiel
- Cockatoo, Palm
- Coucal, Pheasant
- Crane, Sarus
- Cuckoo, Channel-billed
- Cuckoo, Fan-tailed
- Currawong, Black
- Currawong, Pied
- Drongo, Spangled
- Emu
- Fairywren, Superb
- Figbird, Australasian
- Friarbird, Noisy
- Frogmouth, Marbled
- Frogmouth, Papuan
- Frogmouth, Tawny
- Fruit Dove, Wompoo
- Honeyeater, Brown
- Honeyeater, Spiny-cheeked
- Kingfisher, Sacred
- Kite, Whistling
- Koel, Pacific
- Kookaburra, Blue-winged
- Kookaburra, Laughing
- Lyrebird, Superb
- Magpie, Australian
- Miner, Bell
- Miner, Noisy
- Nightjar, Large-tailed
- Nightjar, Spotted
- Oriole, Green
- Oriole, Olive-backed
- Owl, Australian Masked
- Owl, Eastern Barn
- Owl, Powerful
- Owl, Barking
- Owl, Lesser Sooty
- Owl, Greater Sooty
- Owlet-nightjar, Australian
- Pardalote, Spotted
- Parrot, Eclectus
- Pitta, Noisy
- Rosella, Crimson
- Scrubfowl, Orange-footed
- Shrikethrush, Grey
- Songlark, Brown
- Songlark, Rufous
- Wagtail, Willie
- Whipbird, Eastern
- Whistler, Australian Golden
- Whistler, Rufous