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6

Black Kite (Milvus migrans) German name(s): "Schwarzer Milan", "Schwarzmilan" Size: 50-55 cm (male), 55-60 cm (female); wing span 1.6-1.8 m Weight: 600-930 g

Europe: Family Group 6 Family Group 6 Table Lammergeier Eurasian Black Vulture Griffon Vulture Rueppell's Vulture Egyptian Vulture Osprey White-tailed Eagle Golden Eagle Spanish Imperial Eagle Short-toed Snake Eagle Bonelli's Eagle Booted Eagle Red Kite Black Kite European Honey Buzzard Common Buzzard Rough-legged Buzzard Long-legged Buzzard Western Marsh Harrier Hen Harrier Montagu's Harrier Pallid Harrier Black-winged Kite Eurasian Sparrowhawk Gyrfalcon Peregrine Falcon Common Kestrel Merlin Eurasian Hobby Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Black Kites are medium-sized raptors with (near-black) dark-brown plumage. The body is dark-brown, except for a small grey patch under each eye, the wings and tail are even darker brown. When seen closely, one can distinguish some barring on the underside of the primary flight feathers. The bill is dark-grey with a yellow base and yellow gape, the legs and feet are also yellow. Juvenile Black Kites have lighter-brown colours and pale-tipped wing coverts, which give them a spotted appearance. Twitcher's tip Black Kites use their tails very actively for various flight manoeuvres. In the process, the tail, which normally is slightly forked, can adopt various shapes, such as a pronounced fork, a "V", a squarish shape or like a wedge. This can make identification by the shape of the tail a bit tricky for beginners.

Taxonomy, classification See Black Kite at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Black Kite is available HERE . Black Kites are a species with a wide-ranging distribution. There are several races found on different continents, part of which are migratory and/or dispersive while others are sedentary. Nominate race "migrans" breed in much of Europe (but not along the coast from the Bretagne to the German Baltic Sea coast, the British Isles or Scandinavia; for details see a field guide) and farther East into Asia, as far as the northern tip of Pakistan. Southward their range extends through almost all of Turkey and into northern Iran and Afghanistan. There is also a breeding population on the north-western African coastal fringe and the Atlas Mountains. Black Kites from the northern breeding grounds will winter along the western Greek coastline, parts of the Middle East, in the Euphrates/Tigris river system and along parts of the Iranian coastline of the Persian Gulf. A large population winters in most of Africa South of the Sahara desert (except central western Africa) and on both sides of the southern Red Sea. Black Kites, race "affinis", are found in Australia, northern New Guinea and parts of the Indonesian archipelago. For information on the distributions of races "lineatus", "govinda" and "fomosanus" see a field guide or Wikipedia. Black Kites are breeding migrants to Europe. Their breeding range extends from most of Iberia (except the north-western corner and a part of the south-eastern coastline) and most of France, the Benelux countries and Germany (except the Atlantic and North Sea near-coastal fringe), through much of central Europe (for details see a field guide or, e.g., Wikipedia ) into eastern Europe up to the base of the Scandinavian peninsula and into parts of south-eastern Europe, up to the Ural mountains, at latitudes of up to about 60 degrees.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "migrans" J. Pires reports spotting Black Kites, race "migrans", semi-regularly, usually during the breeding season, in southern to central Portugal. A pair was found nesting in Mora, Evora, Portugal, in April 2020. Others have also been found in different locations in Spain. J. Pires also found Black Kites, race "migrans", at Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, in October 2019. H. Dahlem-Senger reports spotting a pair of Black Kites, race "migrans", semi-regularly in the area between Eltville and Schierstein, Hessen, Germany. M. Eaton spotted a Black Kite, race "migrans", in Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, in September 2019. We spotted Black Kites, race "migrans", in the Eifel, Germany, in the past, in the 1970ies to 1980ies, on rare occasions. Race "affinis" We regularly find Black Kites, race "affinis", in Australia.

Photos

Race "migrans"

This race is also called the "European Black Kite".

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-lateral view of a Black Kite looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Rio Duero, Zamora, Spain, July 2022]

Lateral view of a Black Kite (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2019]

Lateral/ventral view of a Black Kite perched in a tree (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, April 2017]

Lateral view of a Black Kite with an itch (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2014]

Lateral view of a Black Kite (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2018]

Dorsal view of a Black Kite looking backwards (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2022]

Dorsal view of a Black Kite (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2022]

Frontal view of a Black Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2015]

Frontal/ventral view of a Black Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a Black Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Rio Duero, Zamora, Spain, July 2022]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a soaring Black Kite (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, April 2021]

Near-lateral view of a Black Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2015]

Near-lateral view onto the upperparts of a Black Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2015]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a Black Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a Black Kite in flight; note the - compared to a Red Kite - relatively short, broad tail
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Evora, Evora, Portugal, March 2018]

Lateral view of a Black Kite in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]

Lateral view of a Black Kite in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2017]

Lateral view of a Black Kite in flight, actively using its tail as a rudder (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral/ventral view of a Black Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Ventral view of a Black Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]

Ventral view of a Black Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Evora, Evora, Portugal, July 2015]

Direct comparison between a Black Kite, left, and a Red Kite, right; we have attempted to show the birds in the same posture, on the same scale - click on either photo to view a larger version (photos courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2015]

Several Black Kite in a thermal (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2022]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-dorsal view onto the upperparts of a juvenile Black Kite in flight; note the pale tips of the wing feathers
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Ventral view of a juvenile Black Kite in flight; this bird may have a foot entangled in a piece of fishing line
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Evora, Evora, Portugal, March 2018]

Race "affinis"

This race is also called the "Fork-tailed Kite".

Photos of Black Kites, race "affinis", were obtained in Australia.

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - Aug?

Eggs: 2 - 3

Incubation period: ca. 35 days

Fledging age: ca. 40 days

Pair of Black Kites in nuptial flight(?) (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Pair of Black Kites in nuptial flight(?) (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Nest

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks; leaves, grass, bark, wool lining

Height above ground: 10 - 20(?) m

Black Kite aery in a cork oak; this nest, originally built by Cattle Egrets, was later re-used by a pair of Common Ravens, before coming into use by its present owners (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Evora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Wider overview of a Black Kite aery in a cork oak (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Evora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Black Kite circling above its aery (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Evora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Distant lateral view of a Black Kite carrying nesting material (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sado estuary, Setubal, Portugal, March 2019]

Eggs

Size: 52 x 42 mm

Colour: Creamy, with light- to mid-brown speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

In Europe flocks of up to 20-25 Black Kites, nominate race "migrans", have been observed, and in one instance up to 80 in one particular breeding location.

Food, Diet

All raptors are carnivores. Black Kites mainly feed on carrion. They are often found around rubbish tips. They are also the first species to arrive after a stubble burn, to pick off the remains of small animals killed by fire.

Black Kite devouring its prey, probably a small fish, in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, June 2020]

Black Kite carrying away its prey; the long, dangling leg suggests that it has caught some kind of waterfowl
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2015]

Black Kite carrying away its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Peso dam, near Montemor o Novo, Evora, Portugal, July 2019]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

blkite_20140820.m4a	affinis (Darwin, NT)	Contact call	© MD
blkite_20140820_2.m4a	affinis (Darwin, NT)	Contact call (+ Whistling Kite)	© MD
blkite_20140820_3.m4a	affinis (Darwin, NT)	?	© MD
blkite_pb_20210730_2.m4a	affinis (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls	© PB
blkite_pb_20210730.m4a	affinis (Darwin, NT)	Territorial calls (harassing juvenile Eastern Osprey)	© PB

More Black Kite sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Fri, 21 April 2023, 6:45 +00:00