Black Kite

Milvus migrans

The Black Kite is a clever bird known for its graceful flying. It has dark brown feathers and a forked tail, making it easy to spot in the sky. These birds love to soar high and can often be seen near water.

Habitat: Urban areas, wetlands

Appearance

The Black Kite is a medium-sized raptor with dark brown plumage, often appearing almost black, and a distinctive forked tail that is less deeply notched than other kites. It has a pale head and a yellowish beak, making it easily distinguishable from similar birds of prey.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderAccipitriformesFamilyAccipitridaeGenusMilvus

Black Kite

Interesting facts

Black Kites sometimes steal shiny objects to decorate their nests!

In some cities, Black Kites follow fishing boats for easy meals.

These birds have special feathers that help them glide without flapping much.

They are one of the most common birds of prey in the world.

Special abilities

Black Kite can snatch fish right off the water's surface because of their sharp talons and agile flight.

Black Kite has a keen sense for carrion that helps them clean up the environment like nature's recycling team.

Black Kite can swoop down on prey fleeing wildfires, taking advantage of the chaos below.

Black Kite can steal food from other birds mid-air, a clever trick to get a free meal.

Measurements & details

Length: 48-61 cm
Wingspan: 130-155 cm
Weight: 0.6-1.3 kg
Lifespan: 10-25 years
Top Speed: 60 km/h
Clutch Size: 1-4
Incubation: 26-38 days
Migration Distance: 5000 km

Diet & Feeding

Black Kites are expert scavengers and hunters, eating almost anything they can find or catch!

Age differences: Young kites are fed by their parents until they learn to hunt and scavenge for themselves.

Primary Foods

Carrion
Fish
Insects
Small mammals
Birds

Foraging Method

Scavenging

Ecological connections

eats

Cattle

Bos taurus

often scavenges on carcasses of dead livestock.

hunts

Common Carp

Cyprinus carpio

snatches fish from shallow water or surface.

eaten by

Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

larger raptors may occasionally prey on young or adult kites.

hunts

Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

snatches flying insects as opportunistic prey.

Traits

Feathered

Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Aerial

Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting.

Scavenger

Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.