Black kite

The black kite (Milvus migrans) is a medium-sized bird of prey

in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other Black kite
diurnal raptors. It is thought to be the world's most abundant
species of Accipitridae, although some populations have
experienced dramatic declines or fluctuations.[2] Current global
population estimates run up to 6 million individuals.[1]

Unlike others of the group, black kites are opportunistic hunters

and are more likely to scavenge. They spend much time soaring
and gliding in thermals in search of food. Their angled wing and
distinctive forked tail make them easy to identify. They are also
vociferous with a shrill whinnying call.

The black kite is widely distributed through the temperate and

tropical parts of Eurasia and parts of Australasia and Oceania,
with the temperate region populations tending to be migratory.
Several subspecies are recognized and formerly had their own
English names. The European populations are small, but the
South Asian population is very large.

M. m. affinis, Australia

Contents 0:00 / 0:00

Systematics and taxonomy
Subspecies
Calls
Description
Conservation status
Distribution
Behaviour and ecology
Food and foraging
Flocking and roosting Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Breeding
Scientific classification
Mortality factors
Kingdom: Animalia
References
Further reading Phylum: Chordata

External links Class: Aves

Order: Accipitriformes

Systematics and taxonomy Family: Accipitridae

Genus: Milvus
The black kite was described by the French polymath Georges-
Species: M. migrans
Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in his Histoire Naturelle des
Oiseaux in 1770.[3] The bird was also illustrated in a hand- Binomial name
coloured plate engraved by François-Nicolas Martinet in the Milvus migrans

Planches Enluminées D'Histoire Naturelle which was produced (Boddaert, 1783)

under the supervision of Edme-Louis Daubenton to accompany
Buffon's text.[4] Neither the plate caption nor Buffon's Subspecies
description included a scientific name but in 1783 the Dutch
naturalist Pieter Boddaert coined the binomial name Falco 5, see text
migrans in his catalogue of the Planches Enluminées.[5] The
type locality is France.[6] The current genus Milvus was erected
by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède in
1799.[7] Milvus is the Latin word for a red kite; the specific
migrans means "migrating" from the Latin migrare "to
migrate".[8]

The red kite has been known to hybridize with the black kite (in
captivity where both species were kept together, and in the wild
on the Cape Verde Islands).[9]

Recent DNA studies suggest that the yellow-billed African races Range of black and yellow-billed kites
parasitus and aegyptius differ significantly from black kites in    Breeding
the Eurasian clade, and should be considered a separate
   Resident
allopatric species: yellow-billed kite, M. aegyptius.[10] They
occur throughout Africa except for the Congo Basin and the    Non-breeding
Sahara Desert. There have been some suggestions that the black-    Passage
eared kite (M. m. lineatus) should be elevated to full species
Synonyms
status as M. lineatus, but this is not well supported.[11]

Falco migrans Boddaert, 1783

Subspecies Milvus affinis
M. m. migrans – (Boddaert, 1783): European black kite Milvus ater

Breeds central, southern and eastern Europe, as Milvus melanotis

well as the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa, to
Tien Shan and south to northwest Pakistan. Winters in
Sub-Saharan Africa. The head is whitish.

M. m. lineatus – (J. E. Gray, 1831): black-eared kite

Siberia to Amurland S around Himalaya to N India, N

Black kite in Hanoi Zoo
Indochina and S China; Japan. Northern inland birds
migrate to E Persian Gulf coast and S Asia in winter.
This has a larger pale carpal patch.

M. m. govinda – Sykes, 1832: small Indian kite (formerly pariah kite)

Eastern Pakistan east through tropical India and Sri Lanka to Indochina and Malay
Peninsula. Resident. A dark brown kite found throughout the subcontinent. Can be seen
circling and soaring in urban areas. Easily distinguished by the shallow forked tail. The
name pariah originates from the Indian caste system and usage of this name is
deprecated.[12][13]

M. m. affinis – Gould, 1838: fork-tailed kite

 Sulawesi and possibly Lesser Sunda Islands; Papua New Guinea except mountains; NE
and E Australia.

M. m. formosanus – Kuroda, 1920: Taiwan kite

Taiwan and Hainan; resident.

M. m. migrans, Morocco M. m. lineatus, Japan M. m. govinda, India

M. m.
affinis,
Australia

Description
Black kites can be distinguished from red kites by the slightly
smaller size, less forked tail (visible in flight), and generally dark
plumage without any rufous. The sexes are alike though the male is
a little smaller and less aggressive (this is the case in most birds of
prey). The upper plumage is brown but the head and neck tend to
be paler. The patch behind the eye appears darker. The outer flight
feathers are black and the feathers have dark cross bars and are
mottled at the base. The lower parts of the body are pale brown,
becoming lighter towards the chin. The body feathers have dark M. m. govinda, India
shafts giving it a streaked appearance. The cere and gape are
yellow, but the bill is black (unlike that of the yellow-billed kite).
The legs are yellow and the claws are black. They have a distinctive shrill whistle followed by a rapid
whinnying call. Males and females have the same plumage but females are longer than male and have a
little larger wingspan. Their wingspan is around 150 cm.[14]

Distribution
The species is found in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. The temperate populations of this kite tend to
be migratory while the tropical ones are resident. European and central Asian birds (subspecies M. m.
migrans and black-eared kite M. m. lineatus, respectively) are migratory, moving to the tropics in winter,
but races in warmer regions such as the Indian M. m. govinda (small Indian/pariah kite), or the
Australasian M. m. affinis (fork-tailed kite), are resident. In some areas such as in the United Kingdom, the
black kite occurs only as a wanderer on migration. These birds are usually of the nominate race, but in
November 2006 a juvenile of the eastern lineatus, not previously recorded in western Europe, was found in
Lincolnshire.[15]

The species is not found in the Indonesian archipelago between the South East Asian mainland and the
Wallace Line.[16] Vagrants, most likely of the black-eared kite, on occasion range far into the Pacific, out to
the Hawaiian islands.[17][18]

In India, the population of M. m. govinda is particularly large especially in areas of high human population.
Here the birds avoid heavily forested regions. A survey in 1967 in the 150 square kilometres of the city of
New Delhi produced an estimate of about 2200 pairs or roughly 15 per square kilometre.[14][19] Another
survey in 2013 estimated 150 pairs for every 10 square kilometres.[20]

Vagrants from Australia occasionally reach New Zealand, however, only one individual has persisted there
(currently ~21 years old).[21]

Behaviour and ecology

Food and foraging

Black kites are most often seen gliding and soaring on thermals as they search for food. Their flight is
buoyant and the bird glides effortlessly, changing directions easily. They will swoop down with their legs
lowered to snatch small live prey, fish, household refuse and carrion, for which behaviour they are known
in British military slang as the shite-hawk. They are opportunist hunters and have been known to take birds,
bats,[22] and rodents.[23] They are attracted to smoke and fires, where they seek escaping prey.[24] Kites are
also known to spread fires by picking and dropping burning twigs so as to flush prey,[25][26] leading to
them being known in some circles as "firehawks".[27] The Indian populations are well adapted to living in
cities and are found in densely populated areas. Large numbers may be seen soaring in thermals over cities.
In some places, they will readily swoop and snatch food held by humans.[14][28] Black kites in Spain prey
on nestling waterfowl especially during summer to feed their young. Predation of nests of other pairs of
black kites has also been noted.[29] Kites have also been seen to tear and carry away the nests of baya
weavers in an attempt to obtain eggs or chicks.[30]

Flocking and roosting

In winter, kites form large communal roosts. Flocks may fly about before settling at the roost.[28] When
migrating, the black kite has a greater propensity to form large flocks than other migratory raptors,
particularly prior to making a crossing across water.[31] In India, the subspecies govinda shows large
seasonal fluctuations with the highest numbers seen from July to October, after the monsoons, and it has
been suggested that they make local movements in response to high rainfall.[32]

Breeding
The breeding season of the black kite in India begins in winter (mainly January and February[33]), the
young birds fledging before the monsoons. The nest is a rough platform of twigs and sticks placed in a tree.
Nest sites may be reused in subsequent years. European birds breed in summer. Birds in the Italian Alps
tended to build their nest close to water in steep cliffs or tall trees.[34] Nest orientation may be related to
wind and rainfall.[35] The nests may sometimes be decorated with bright materials such as white plastic and
a study in Spain suggests that they may have a role in signalling to keep away other kites.[36]

After pairing, the male frequently copulates with the female. Unguarded females may be approached by
other males, and extra pair copulations are frequent. Males returning from a foraging trip will frequently
copulate on return, as this increases the chances of his sperm fertilizing the eggs rather than a different
male.[37] Both the male and female take part in nest building, incubation and care of chicks.

The typical clutch size is 2 or sometimes 3 eggs.[28][38] The

incubation period varies from 30 to 34 days. Chicks of the Indian
population stay at the nest for nearly two months.[33] Chicks
hatched later in European populations appear to fledge faster. The
care of young by the parents also rapidly decreased with the need
for adults to migrate.[39][40] Siblings show aggression to each other
and often the weaker chick may be killed, but parent birds were
found to preferentially feed the smaller chicks in experimentally
altered nests.[41]

Newly hatched young have down (prepennae) which are sepia on Eggs
the back and black around the eye and buff on the head, neck and
underparts. This is replaced by brownish-gray second down
(preplumulae). After 9–12 days, the second down appears on the whole body except the top of the head.
Body feathers begin to appear after 18 to 22 days. The feathers on the head become noticeable from the
24th to 29th day. The nestlings initially feed on food fallen at the bottom of the nest and begin to tear flesh
after 33–39 days. They are able to stand on their legs after 17–19 days and begin flapping their wings after
27–31 days. After 50 days, they begin to move to branches next to the nest.[42][43] Birds are able to breed
after their second year.[33] Parent birds guard their nest and will dive aggressively at intruders. Humans
who intrude the nest appear to be recognized by birds and singled out for dive attacks.[44]

Mortality factors

Black-eared kites in Japan were found to accumulate nearly 70% of mercury accumulated from polluted
food in the feathers, thus excreting it in the moult process.[45] Black kites often perch on electric wires and
are frequent victims of electrocution.[46][47] Their habit of swooping to pick up dead rodents or other
roadkill leads to collisions with vehicles.[48] Instances of mass poisoning as a result of feeding on poisoned
voles in agricultural fields have been noted.[49] They are also a major nuisance at some airports, where their
size makes them a significant birdstrike hazard.[50]

As a large raptorial bird, the black kite has few natural predators. However, they do have a single serious
predator: the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo). The eagle-owl freely picks off kites of any age and were
noted to precipitously decrease kite breeding success when nesting within kilometres of the kites in the
Italian Alps.[51] Like most bird species, they have parasites, several species of endoparasitic trematodes are
known[52] and some Digenea species that are transmitted via fishes.[53][54][55]

Birds with abnormal development of a secondary upper mandible have been recorded in govinda[56] and
lineatus.[57]
References
1. BirdLife International (2020). "Milvus migrans" (https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/1815687
21/181571544). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T181568721A181571544.
doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T181568721A181571544.en (https://doi.org/10.2305%
2FIUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T181568721A181571544.en). Retrieved 13 November 2021.
2. Ferguson-Lees, J.; Christie, D. (2001). Raptors of the World. London: Christopher Helm.
ISBN 978-0-7136-8026-3.
3. Buffon, Georges-Louis Leclerc de (1770). Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux (https://biodiversity
library.org/page/42334490) (in French). Vol. 1. Paris: De L'Imprimerie Royale. p. 286.
4. Buffon, Georges-Louis Leclerc de; Martinet, François-Nicolas; Daubenton, Edme-Louis;
Daubenton, Louis-Jean-Marie (1765–1783). "Le Milan noir" (https://biodiversitylibrary.org/pa
ge/35214565). Planches Enluminées D'Histoire Naturelle. Vol. 5. Paris: De L'Imprimerie
Royale. Plate 472.
5. Boddaert, Pieter (1783). Table des planches enluminéez d'histoire naturelle de M.
D'Aubenton : avec les denominations de M.M. de Buffon, Brisson, Edwards, Linnaeus et
Latham, precedé d'une notice des principaux ouvrages zoologiques enluminés (https://biodi
versitylibrary.org/page/27822629) (in French). Utrecht. p. 28, Number 472.
6. Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William, eds. (1979). Check-list of Birds of the World (https://biodiver
sitylibrary.org/page/16108937). Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of
Comparative Zoology. p. 297.
7. Lacépède, Bernard Germain de (1799). "Tableau des sous-classes, divisions, sous-division,
ordres et genres des oiseux" (https://books.google.com/books?id=6uhAAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA
78). Discours d'ouverture et de clôture du cours d'histoire naturelle (in French). Paris:
Plassan. p. 4. Page numbering starts at one for each of the three sections.
8. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names (https://archive.org/d
etails/helmdictionarysc00jobl_997). London: Christopher Helm. p. 255 (https://archive.org/de
tails/helmdictionarysc00jobl_997/page/n255). ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
9. Hille, Sabine; Thiollay, Jean-Marc (2000). "The imminent extinction of the kites Milvus
milvus fasciicauda and Milvus m. migrans on the Cape Verde Islands" (https://doi.org/10.101
7%2FS0959270900000319). Bird Conservation International. 10 (4): 361–369.
doi:10.1017/S0959270900000319 (https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0959270900000319).
10. Johnson, J.A.; Watson, Richard T.; Mindell, David P. (2005). "Prioritizing species
conservation: does the Cape Verde kite exist?" (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P
MC1560339). Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 272 (1570): 1365–1371.
doi:10.1098/rspb.2005.3098 (https://doi.org/10.1098%2Frspb.2005.3098). PMC 1560339 (htt
ps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1560339). PMID 16006325 (https://pubmed.ncb
i.nlm.nih.gov/16006325).
11. Schreiber, Arnd; Stubbe, Michael; Stubbe, Annegret (2000). "Red kite (Milvus milvus) and
black kite (M. migrans): minute genetic interspecies distance of two raptors breeding in a
mixed community (Falconiformes: Accipitridae)" (https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8312.20
00.tb01210.x). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 69 (3): 351–365.
doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2000.tb01210.x (https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8312.2000.tb01
210.x).
12. Agoramoorthy, G. (2005). "Disallow caste discrimination in biological and social contexts" (h
ttp://www.currentscience.ac.in/Downloads/article_id_089_05_0727_0727_1.pdf) (PDF).
Current Science. 89 (5): 727.
13. Blanford, W.T. (1896). Fauna of British India. Birds (https://archive.org/stream/faunaofbritishin
03oate#page/374/mode/1up/). Vol. 3. London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 374–378.
14. Whistler, Hugh (1949). Popular handbook of Indian birds (https://archive.org/stream/popularh
andbooko033226mbp#page/n422/mode/1up/) (4th ed.). London: Gurney and Jackson.
pp. 371–373. ISBN 978-1-4067-4576-4.
15. Badley, John; Hyde, Philip (2006). "The Black-eared kite in Lincolnshire - a new British
bird". Birding World. 19 (11): 465–470.
16. Reich, Nathan; Sorenson, Amanda (2011). "Milvus migrans black kite" (https://animaldiversit
y.org/accounts/Milvus_migrans/). Animal Diversity. University of Michigan Museum of
Zoology. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
17. "Milvus migrans additional details on distribution" (http://globalraptors.org/grin/SpeciesExten
ded.asp?specID=8305&catID=2000&childID=351&sSpeciesName=Milvus%20migrans).
globalraptors.org. The Peregrine Fund. 2012. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
18. "The 115th Christmas Bird Count in Hawaii & the Pacific Islands" (https://www.audubon.org/
news/the-115-christmas-bird-count-hawaii-pacific-islands). Audubon.org. National Audubon
Society. 2015. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
19. Galushin, V.M. (1971). "A huge urban population of birds of prey in Delhi, India". Ibis. 113
(4): 552. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.1971.tb05189.x (https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1474-919x.1
971.tb05189.x).
20. Kumar, Nishant; Mohan, Dhananjai; Jhala, Yadvendradev V.; Qureshi, Qamar; Sergio,
Fabrizio (2014). "Density, laying date, breeding success and diet of Black Kites Milvus
migrans govinda in the city of Delhi (India)" (https://doi.org/10.1080%2F00063657.2013.876
972). Bird Study. 61 (1): 1–8. doi:10.1080/00063657.2013.876972 (https://doi.org/10.1080%
2F00063657.2013.876972).
21. "Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust" (http://www.wingspan.co.nz/vagrant_birds_of_prey_new_ze
aland_black_kite.html). Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust. 25 October 2012. Retrieved
22 January 2013.
22. Mikula, Peter; Morelli, Federico; Lučan, Radek K.; Jones, Darryl N.; Tryjanowski, Piotr
(2016). "Bats as prey of diurnal birds: A global perspective". Mammal Review. 46 (3): 160–
174. doi:10.1111/mam.12060 (https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fmam.12060).
23. Narayanan, E. (1989). "Pariah kite Milvus migrans capturing Whitebreasted Kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis" (https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48710845). Journal of the Bombay
Natural History Society. 86 (3): 445.
24. Hollands, David (1984). Eagles, hawks, and falcons of Australia. Nelson. ISBN 978-0-17-
006411-8.
25. Chisholm, A.H. (1971). "The use by birds of tools and playthings". Victorian Naturalist. 88:
180–188.
26. https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-ethnobiology/volume-37/issue-4/0278-0771-
37.4.700/Intentional-Fire-Spreading-by-Firehawk-Raptors-in-Northern-
Australia/10.2993/0278-0771-37.4.700.full
27. https://blog.nature.org/science/2018/01/12/australian-firehawk-raptors-intentionally-spread-
wildfires/
28. Ali, S.; Ripley, S.D. (1978). Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.).
Oxford University Press. pp. 226–230. ISBN 978-0-19-562063-4.
29. Veiga, J.P.; Hiraldo, F. (1990). "Food habits and the survival and growth of nestlings in two
sympatric kites (Milvus milvus and Milvus migrans)". Holarct. Ecol. 13: 62–71.
doi:10.1111/j.1600-0587.1990.tb00590.x (https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1600-0587.1990.tb00
590.x).
30. Wesley, H. Daniel; Relton, A.; Moses, A. Alagappa (1991). "A strange predatory habit of the
Pariah kite Milvus migrans" (https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48673516). Journal of the
Bombay Natural History Society. 88 (1): 110–111.
31. Agostini, N.; Duchi, A. (1994). "Water-crossing behavior of Black Kites (Milvus migrans)
during migration" (https://web.archive.org/web/20160303212056/http://www.raptormigration.
org/Agostini%20Water-crossing%20Black%20Kite.pdf) (PDF). Bird Behavior. 10: 45–48.
doi:10.3727/015613894791748935 (https://doi.org/10.3727%2F015613894791748935).
Archived from the original (http://www.raptormigration.org/Agostini%20Water-crossing%20Bl
ack%20Kite.pdf) (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
32. Mahabal, Anil; Bastawade, D.B. (1985). "Population ecology and communal roosting
behaviour of pariah kite Milvus migrans govinda in Pune (Maharashtra)" (https://biodiversityli
brary.org/page/50395017). Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 82 (2): 337–346.
33. Desai, J.H.; Malhotra, A.K. (1979). "Breeding biology of the Pariah Kite Milvus migrans at
Delhi Zoological Park". Ibis. 121 (3): 320–325. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1979.tb06849.x (htt
ps://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1474-919X.1979.tb06849.x).
34. Sergio, Fabrizio; Pedrini, Paolo; Marchesi, Luigi (2003). "Adaptive selection of foraging and
nesting habitat by black kites (Milvus migrans) and its implications for conservation: a multi-
scale approach". Biological Conservation. 112 (3): 351–362. doi:10.1016/S0006-
3207(02)00332-4 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2FS0006-3207%2802%2900332-4).
35. Viñuela, J.; Sunyer, C. (1992). "Nest orientation and hatching success of Black Kites Milvus
migrans in Spain". Ibis. 134 (4): 340–345. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1992.tb08013.x (https://d
oi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1474-919X.1992.tb08013.x).
36. Sergio, F.; Blas, J.; Blanco, G.; Tanferna, A.; Lopez, L.; Lemus, J.A.; Hiraldo, F. (2011).
"Raptor Nest Decorations Are a Reliable Threat Against Conspecifics". Science. 331
(6015): 327–330. Bibcode:2011Sci...331..327S (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011Sci...
331..327S). doi:10.1126/science.1199422 (https://doi.org/10.1126%2Fscience.1199422).
hdl:10261/37071 (https://hdl.handle.net/10261%2F37071). PMID 21252345 (https://pubmed.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21252345). S2CID 13925885 (https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:13
925885).
37. Koga, K.; Shiraishi, S. (1994). "Copulation behaviour of the Black Kite Milvus migrans in
Nagasaki Peninsula". Bird Study. 41 (1): 29–36. doi:10.1080/00063659409477194 (https://d
oi.org/10.1080%2F00063659409477194).
38. Koga, Kimiya; Siraishi, Satoshi; Uchida, Teruaki (1989). "Breeding Ecology of the Black-
eared Kite Milvus migrans lineatus in the Nagasaki Peninsula, Kyushu" (https://doi.org/10.38
38%2Fjjo.38.57). Japanese Journal of Ornithology. 38 (2): 57–66. doi:10.3838/jjo.38.57 (http
s://doi.org/10.3838%2Fjjo.38.57).
39. Bustamante, J.; Hiraldo, F. (1989). "Post-fledging dependence period and maturation of flight
skills in the Black Kite Milvus migrans". Bird Study. 56 (3): 199–204.
doi:10.1080/00063658909477025 (https://doi.org/10.1080%2F00063658909477025).
hdl:10261/46912 (https://hdl.handle.net/10261%2F46912).
40. Bustamante, J. (1994). "Family break-up in Black and Red Kites Milvus migrans and Milvus
milvus:is time of independence an offspring decision" (http://www.ebd.csic.es/bustamante/pu
blicaciones/Bustamante_%281994%29_Ibis_136_176-184.PDF) (PDF). Ibis. 136 (2): 176–
184. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1994.tb01082.x (https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1474-919X.199
4.tb01082.x). hdl:10261/46920 (https://hdl.handle.net/10261%2F46920).
41. Viñuela, Javier (1999). "Sibling aggression, hatching asynchrony, and nestling mortality in
the black kite ( Milvus migrans )". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 45 (1): 33–45.
doi:10.1007/s002650050537 (https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs002650050537).
S2CID 44011901 (https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:44011901).
42. Desai, J.H.; Malhotra, A.K. (1980). "Embryonic development of Pariah Kite Milvus migrans
govinda" (https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jyio1952/12/3/12_3_220/_pdf). Journal of the
Yamashina Institute for Ornithology. 12 (3): 82–86. doi:10.3312/jyio1952.12.3_220 (https://do
i.org/10.3312%2Fjyio1952.12.3_220).
43. Koga, Kimiya; Shiraishi, Satoshi; Uchida, Teruaki (1989). "Growth and Development of the
Black-eared Kite Milvus migrans lineatus" (https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jjo1986/38/1/3
8_1_31/_article). Japanese Journal of Ornithology. 38 (1): 31–42. doi:10.3838/jjo.38.31 (http
s://doi.org/10.3838%2Fjjo.38.31).
44. Malhotra, A.K. (1990). "Site fidelity and power of recognition in Pariah Kite Milvus migrans
govinda" (https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48807186). Journal of the Bombay Natural
History Society. 87 (3): 458.
45. Honda, K.; Nasu, T.; Tatsukawa, R. (1986). "Seasonal changes in mercury accumulation in
the black-eared kite, Milvus migrans lineatus". Environmental Pollution Series A, Ecological
and Biological. 42 (4): 325–334. doi:10.1016/0143-1471(86)90016-4 (https://doi.org/10.101
6%2F0143-1471%2886%2990016-4).
46. Ferrer, Miguel; de la Riva, Manuel; Castroviejo, Javier (1991). "Electrocution of Raptors on
Power Lines in Southwestern Spain" (http://sora.unm.edu/node/51640). Journal of Field
Ornithology. 62 (2): 181–190. JSTOR 4513623 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/4513623).
47. Janss, G.F.E. (2000). "Avian mortality from power lines: a morphologic approach of a
species-specific mortality". Biological Conservation. 95 (3): 353–359. doi:10.1016/S0006-
3207(00)00021-5 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2FS0006-3207%2800%2900021-5).
hdl:10261/64776 (https://hdl.handle.net/10261%2F64776).
48. Cooper, J.E. (1973). "Post-mortem findings in East African birds of prey". Journal of Wildlife
Diseases. 9 (4): 368–375. doi:10.7589/0090-3558-9.4.368 (https://doi.org/10.7589%2F0090-
3558-9.4.368). PMID 4150320 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4150320). S2CID 37028748
(https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:37028748).
49. Mendelssohn, H.; Paz, U. (1977). "Mass mortality of birds of prey caused by Azodrin, an
organophosphorus insecticide". Biological Conservation. 11 (3): 163. doi:10.1016/0006-
3207(77)90001-5 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2F0006-3207%2877%2990001-5).
50. Owino, A.; Biwott, N.; Amutete, G. (2004). "Bird strike incidents involving Kenya Airways
flights at three Kenyan airports, 1991-2001". African Journal of Ecology. 42 (2): 122–128.
doi:10.1111/j.1365-2028.2004.00507.x (https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1365-2028.2004.00507.
x).
51. Sergio, F.; Marchesi, L.; Pedrini, P. (2003). "Spatial refugia and the coexistence of a diurnal
raptor with its intraguild owl predator" (https://doi.org/10.1046%2Fj.1365-2656.2003.00693.
x). Journal of Animal Ecology. 72 (2): 232–245. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2656.2003.00693.x (http
s://doi.org/10.1046%2Fj.1365-2656.2003.00693.x).
52. Karyakarte, P.P. (1970). "A new species of Echinochasmus (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae)
from the kite, Milvus migrans (Boddaert), in India". Rivista di Parassitologia. 31 (2): 113–116.
PMID 5529542 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/5529542).
53. Seo, M.; Guk, S.M.; Chai, J.Y.; Sim, S.; Sohn, W, M. (2008). "Holostephanus metorchis
(Digenea: Cyathocotylidae) from Chicks Experimentally Infected with Metacercariae from a
Fish, Pseudorasbora parva, in the Republic of Korea" (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti
cles/PMC2532613). The Korean Journal of Parasitology. 46 (2): 83–86.
doi:10.3347/kjp.2008.46.2.83 (https://doi.org/10.3347%2Fkjp.2008.46.2.83). PMC 2532613
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2532613). PMID 18552543 (https://pubmed.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18552543).
54. Lal, Makund Behari (1939). "Studies in Helminthology-Trematode parasites of birds" (https://
archive.org/stream/proceedingsofthe020220mbp#page/n126/mode/1up). Proceedings of the
Indian Academy of Sciences, Section B. 10 (2): 111–200.
55. Sheena, P.; Manjula, K.; Subair, K.; Janardanan, K. (2007). "The life cycle of Mesostephanus
indicum Mehra, 1947 (Digenea: Cyathocotylidae)". Parasitology Research. 101 (4): 1015–
1018. doi:10.1007/s00436-007-0579-7 (https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs00436-007-0579-7).
PMID 17514481 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17514481). S2CID 733816 (https://api.se
manticscholar.org/CorpusID:733816).
56. Rawal, U.M. (1971). "Pariah Kite with Double Bill" (http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/jour
nals/auk/v088n01/p0166-p0166.pdf) (PDF). The Auk. 88 (1): 166. doi:10.2307/4083971 (http
s://doi.org/10.2307%2F4083971). JSTOR 4083971 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/4083971).
57. Biswas, Biswamoy (1956). "A Large Indian Kite Milvus migrans lineatus (Gray) with a split
bill" (https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48180940). Journal of the Bombay Natural History
Society. 53 (3): 474–475.

Further reading
Desai, J.H.; Malhotra, A.K. (1982). "Annual gonadal cycle of Black Kite Milvus migrans
govinda" (https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jyio1952/14/2-3/14_2-3_143/_pdf). Journal of
the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology. 14 (2–3): 143–150. doi:10.3312/jyio1952.14.143 (htt
ps://doi.org/10.3312%2Fjyio1952.14.143).
Hardy, J. (1985). "Black Kite capturing small passerines". Australasian Raptor Association
News. 6: 14.
American Ornithologists' Union (2000). "Forty-second supplement to the American
Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds" (https://doi.org/10.1642%2F0004-8
038%282000%29117%5B0847%3AFSSTTA%5D2.0.CO%3B2). Auk. 117 (3): 847–858.
doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2000)117[0847:FSSTTA]2.0.CO;2 (https://doi.org/10.1642%2F0004-
8038%282000%29117%5B0847%3AFSSTTA%5D2.0.CO%3B2).
Crochet, Pierre-André (2005). "Recent DNA studies of kites". Birding World. 18 (12): 486–
488.
Forsman, Dick (2003). "Identification of Black-eared Kite" (http://www.birdforum.net/attachme
nt.php?attachmentid=430354&d=1361903404). Birding World. 16 (4): 156–160.

External links
Black Kite species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds (http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/
sabap1/126.pdf)
Ageing and sexing (PDF; 4.9 MB) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze (https://
web.archive.org/web/20141202061552/http://aulaenred.ibercaja.es/wp-content/uploads/104
_BlackkiteMmigrans.pdf)
BirdLife species factsheet for Milvus migrans (http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/factsh
eet/22734972)
"Milvus migrans" (https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?lang=EN&avibaseid=C1C255AA
01C58664). Avibase.
"Black kite media" (https://www.hbw.com/ibc/species/black-kite-milvus-migrans). Internet
Bird Collection.
Black kite photo gallery (http://vireo.acnatsci.org/search.html?Form=Search&SEARCHBY=
Common&KEYWORDS=Black+kite&showwhat=images&AGE=All&SEX=All&ACT=All&Se
arch=Search&VIEW=All&ORIENTATION=All&RESULTS=24) at VIREO (Drexel University)
Audio recordings of Black kite (http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Milvus-migrans) on Xeno-
canto.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Black_kite&oldid=1069801430"

This page was last edited on 4 February 2022, at 04:56 (UTC).

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License;

additional terms may apply. By using
this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.