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Nest tree selection by the brahminy kite Haliastur indus in a Rhizophora mangrove forest

Despite the vast range of the brahminy kite Haliastur indus in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australian regions, the species is little studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nine forestry and habitat variables on nest number of a dominant raptor (brahminy kite) at six distance buffers in a Rhizophora mangrove forest. Field observations were made during the breeding season from March to May 2012 within the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve. The average height of nest trees (19.2 ± 2.2 m) was significantly higher than adjacent trees (8.4 ± 6.8 m) (p < 0.05). On average, active nests were 16.7 ± 4.2 m above the ground, and 1.8 ± 1.1 m below the top of trees. Active nest trees had an average diameter of 21.2 ± 6.4 cm and were located very close to open water (2.7 m ± 4.9 SD). Aggregated nest number at different distance classes had significant correlation with all environmental variables of restricted production and unproductive forests, protective forests, clear-cutting areas, young forests, coastlines, agriculture, villages, and main roads (p < 0.05), except for productive forests (p>0.05), that is, nests were far from areas inhabited by humans. Thus, environmental variables could affect selection of nest trees of the brahminy kite in larger scales and should be considered in biological aspects of mangrove forests.