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{{GSearch|Milvus+migrans}} | {{GSearch|Milvus+migrans}} | ||
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Milvus]] [[Category:Bird Songs]] | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Milvus]] [[Category:Bird Songs]] | ||
Revision as of 20:04, 18 August 2009
Alternative name: Fork-tailed Kite
- Milvus migrans
Includes Yellow-billed Kite; Black-eared Kite
Identification
Male: Dull white crown, back of head and nape, streaked dark brown, dull brown chin, throat and breast, dark stripes, rufous underwings, brown-grey tail barred darker, black bill with yellow at base of lower mandible, yellow cere, pale grey-yellow iris surrounded by a black line, yellow legs and toes with black claws.
Female: is larger and of a darker and more reddish colour.
Young: dark iris dark, more mottled plumage, each feather ending with a greyish white or ferruginous patch. The bands on the tail are less distinct.
Similar Species
Does not have the deeply forked tail of a Red Kite, nor the rufous plumage.
Distribution
Eurasia, Africa and Australia. Breeds across mainland Europe from Iberia east to the Urals. Common and widespread in Spain but patchy in France and central Europe, Italy and Greece. Absent from the British Isles and most of Scandinavia but a small number breed in southern coastal Finland and a rare breeder in Sweden. Has bred regularly in Belgium since the 1970s and first breeding for the Netherlands took place in 1996. Breeding in Finland in 2002 was the first for decades.
In Asia breeds across most of Turkey, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula and east across temperate and tropical Asia to the Pacific coast of Russia, Japan and China. To the south breeds throughout India and Sri Lanka and South-East Asia to southern Thailand. Also breeds in Sulawesi, eastern New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. Widespread in much of Australia, particularly the north and centre and absent only from the southern coastal regions.
In Africa breeds across the North-West, in Egypt and throughout sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Somalia and south to the Cape. Also breeds in the Cape Verde Islands.
Northern populations are migratory and winter to the south. Most European birds winter in sub-Saharan Africa although a few may remain in southern Europe in winter and occasionally wintering birds occur north to southern Scandinavia. Dispersal of young birds can start in late June but migration begins in late July-August, and most have left breeding areas by September. Migrants concentrate at narrow sea-crossings during August-October, the peak period being mid-August to mid-September. Numbers are highest at Gibraltar, but also occurs in thousands at the Bosphorus and at Bor�ka in Turkey. Smaller numbers occur as migrants through Italy.
The return movement in spring occurs February-May with a peak in March-April and the same routes are used. Regularly seen north of main breeding range and there has been some expansion of range in Europe in recent decades. Now annual in Britain ( c. 313 records), mostly in east and south-east England in the period mid April-early June with occasional autumn records. Breeding attempts may occur in Britain in the future.
Vagrants also recorded in the Channel Islands and Iceland. In Australia vagrants recorded on the south coast and Tasmania.
Taxonomy
About eight races are recognised. Nominate race occurs over most of the Western Palearctic with M. m. aegyptius in Egypt and Sinai, Somalia and Arabia, M. m. parasitus occurs in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, and M. m. tenebrosus on the Cape Verde Islands. M. m. lineatus (Black-eared Kite) is found in Central and eastern Asia, M. m. formosanus in Taiwan and Hainan, M. m. govinda from in India to South-East Asia and M. m. affinis from Indonesia to Australia.
M. m. aegyptius and M. m. parasitus have a yellow bill, and have been recognised by some authors as being of a separate species, the Yellow-billed Kite Milvus aegyptius (Lepage, 2007).
Habitat
Usually close to water, near rivers, lakes and seacoasts and in the south of range closely associated with man seen around towns and villages, refuse-tips and slaughterhouses. Breeds in tall trees in open or sparsely wooded country.
Behaviour
Usually gregarious, especially on migration.
Diet
The diet includes live prey as well as fish, household refuse and carrion.
Breeding
They nest in forest trees, often close to other kites.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Milvus migrans (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
Lepage D. 2007. Avibase. Search for "Milvus aegyptius" downloaded 17 September 2007.
