Milvus migrans - Black Kite
Feather characters. Barbules are extremely long (2.4-3.3 mm), filamentous and entangled. Concentration of pigment varies from absent to lightly stippled in basal internodes. Slightly thickened nodes (7-11 per mm) are located on proximal end of barbules. Over a short distance these nodes abruptly decrease in size. Further along the barbule, nodal structures are too small to qualify as nodes and may be hard to discern. Villi are absent and internodes are straight. Minute prongs may be present along the entire length of barbules, on both sides of the pennulum. These prongs are unequally distributed, and many nodal structures without prongs may be found.
Field characters. Length 55-60 cm; wingspan 135-155 cm. Weight: male 827 g (630-941) (Dunning, 1993). Resembles Red Kite but can be distinguished by notched rather than forked tail, smaller size and much darker plumage without any noticeable features; head greyish. Juvenile paler with pale grey patch on underwing at base of primaries. Holds wings horizontally while soaring and not in V, like Marsh Harrier.
Voice. Noisy during the breeding season; produces a vibrating, gull-like call.
Distribution. Fairly common summer visitor. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Prefers the vicinity of lakes, pools, rivers, wetlands, seaports and aerodromes.
Food. A predator and a scavenger, using a variety of hunting techniques and capable of exploiting a wide range of food sources, usually animal prey: small mammals and birds, reptiles, fish (frequently dead), insects. Also takes carrion, scraps and offal from slaughterhouses and fishing boats. A food-pirate on several other raptors.