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Red Kite (Milvus milvus) German name(s): "Roter Milan", "Rotmilan", "Gabelweihe", "Königsweihe" Size: 61-72 cm; wing span 1.4-1.8 m Body mass: 0.8-1.2 kg (male); 1.0-1.3 kg (female) Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.28-0.32

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 Greater Spotted 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 Goshawk Eurasian Sparrowhawk Gyrfalcon Lanner Falcon Peregrine Falcon Common Kestrel Lesser Kestrel Red-footed Falcon 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 Red Kites are medium-sized raptors. The two sexes look alike. They have a deep-rufous front and a long, thin, forked light-grey undertail with dark spots on the outer tips. The leading edge of the underwings, out to the alula, is also deep-rufous, while the rest of the underwing coverts are dark-grey. The tips of the primaries are black, while the rest of the flight feathers is light-grey (the tertiaries can be mid-grey), with light-grey to white wing panels. The upperparts are also deep-rufous, except for the uppertail, which is bright-rufous. The upperwing coverts are also deep-rufous, with greyish-streak upperwing bars, while the flight feathers are dark-grey. The head is grey, with eyes that have yellow irises. The yellow hooked bill has a dark-grey tip and the feet are also yellow. The legs are covered by deep-rufous "trousers". Juvenile Red Kites have boldly streaked underparts and a paler vent than adults.

Taxonomy, classification See Red 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 Red Kite is available HERE . Red Kites are a partly migratory, partly sedentary species. Their range extends from north-western Africa via southern, western and central Europe into parts of eastern and south-eastern Europe, Asia Minor and along the East coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the Sinai and the lower Nile valley. Formerly there was also an overwintering population in parts of Iran. Former race "fasciicauda", of the Cape Verdean Islands, is presumed to be extinct. In Europe Red Kites are sedentary roughly westward of the river Rhine and migratory to the East of the river. The range of the sedentary population encompasses Iberia, the Mediterranean islands, Italy, the East coast of the Adriatic Sea on to Greece, including Crete. Red Kites are also sedentary northward of the Pyrenees and the Alps, in all of western and western central Europe, including the British Isles. The breeding migrants populate eastern Denmark, southern Sweden, eastern Germany, Poland, the part of the Baltic States. Further to the East and also in south-eastern Europe Red Kites are seen only infrequently. Red Kites are often found in areas with a combination of both forest or woodlands and aquatic habitats.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "milvus" J. Pires reports spotting Red Kites, race "milvus", occasionally since 2017 in the area from the Tejo estuary to Mora, Evora, Portugal. The species was also found in Vila Vicosa, Alentejo, Portugal, in December 2019 and in other locations in southern Portugal since then. G. Normand found a Red Kite, race "milvus", at the Col d'Orgambidesca, Pyrenees, France, in September 2020. Another was found in Foix, Occitanie, France, in June 2021. H. Dahlem-Senger reports spotting Red Kites, race "milvus", occasionally near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, e.g. twice in the timeframe March/April 2021, once in March 2024 and again in May 2025. Another was found at Lake Constance, Germany, in September 2022. A. Sarok reports finding Red Kites, race "milvus", in Vojvodina, Serbia, in the timeframe 2010-2024. In the 1970ies to 1980ies we spotted Red Kites, race "milvus", occasionally in the Eifel, Germany. In the absence of any eagles, ospreys or vultures, Red Kites are the largest diurnal raptors in that area.

Photos

Race "milvus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Red Kite looking sideways (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Near-lateral view of a Red Kite (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Lateral view of a Red Kite (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Frontal view of a Red Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salamanca, Castilla e Leon, Spain, April 2024]

Frontal view of a Red Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Frontal/ventral view of a Red Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2019]

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

Near-lateral view of a Red Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Near-lateral view of a Red Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Nossa Senhora de Aracelis, Castro Verde, Beja, Alentejo, Portugal, October 2025]

Lateral view of a Red Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Ledema, Rio Tormes, Salamanca, Castilla y Leon, Spain, September 2024]

Lateral view of a Red Kite banking sharply (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Vicosa, Alentejo, Portugal, December 2019]

Lateral view onto the upperparts of a Red Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2017]

Lateral/ventral view of a Red Kite in flight; note the characteristic deep-rufous underparts, in particular the vent, and the long, slender, forked tail (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2015]

Direct lateral 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]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Red Kite banking sharply (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Near Eltville, Hessen, Germany, March 2024]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral/ventral view of an juvenile Red Kite in flight; this bird still has the pale vent and prominent white wing panels of a juvenile, while the body is starting to adopt adult colours (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Couco, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Red Kite in flight; note the heavily streaked front and the pale colours, in particular of the vent
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2018]

Near-dorsal view onto the upperparts of an juvenile Red Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Couco, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2020]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of an juvenile Red Kite in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Couco, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2020]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Partially migratory

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Red Kites are sedentary in southern, western and central Europe. In summer a population overwintering in south-eastern Europe migrates to their breeding sites in eastern Europe.

Food, Diet

Frontal/ventral view of a Red Kite in flight with its prey, probably a bird (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Frontal/ventral view of a Red Kite in flight with its prey, probably a bird (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

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.

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