# 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. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas, wetlands - **Also known as:** Milvus ![Black Kite](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Milvus_migrans_front%28ThKraft%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Thomas Kraft ( ThKraft ), CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Milvus_migrans_front%28ThKraft%29.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Accipitridae - **Genus:** Milvus ## 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 - **River Fisher:** Black Kite can snatch fish right off the water's surface because of their sharp talons and agile flight. - **Waste Manager:** Black Kite has a keen sense for carrion that helps them clean up the environment like nature's recycling team. - **Fire Follower:** Black Kite can swoop down on prey fleeing wildfires, taking advantage of the chaos below. - **Air Thief:** 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 - **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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattle) (*Bos taurus*) — often scavenges on carcasses of dead livestock. - **Hunts:** [Common Carp](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-carp) (*Cyprinus carpio*) — snatches fish from shallow water or surface. - **Eaten by:** [Golden Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Scavenger](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/scavenger): Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black Kite? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Black Kite? 48-61 cm ### What is Black Kite's wingspan? 130-155 cm ### How much does Black Kite weigh? 0.6-1.3 kg ### How long does Black Kite live? 10-25 years ### How fast can Black Kite move? 60 km/h ### What does Black Kite eat? Black Kites are expert scavengers and hunters, eating almost anything they can find or catch! ### Where is Black Kite usually found? Urban areas, wetlands ## Where to spot - [Greifvogelpark Katharinenberg](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greifvogelpark-katharinenberg) — Bayern, DE · Zoo - [Naturpark Dahme-Heideseen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-dahme-heideseen) — Brandenburg, DE · Park - [Naturpark Unteres Saaletal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-unteres-saaletal) — Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Park - [Barrancas de Castrejón y Calaña Natural Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrancas-de-castrejon-y-calana-natural-monument) — Castilla-La Mancha, ES · Park - [Ise-Shima National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ise-shima-national-park) — Kansai / Tokai, JP · Park - [Sera Prefectural Citizens' Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sera-prefectural-citizens-park) — Hiroshima, JP · Park [View all places to see Black Kite](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/black-kite) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Black Kite: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-kite)