Black Kite

The Black Kite is a medium-sized bird of prey which can be distinguished from the Red Kite by its slightly smaller size, less forked tail and generally dark plumage without any rufous colouring. The upper plumage is brown but the head and neck tend to be paler and 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. They have a distinctive shrill whistle followed by a rapid whinnying call.

Black Kites are opportunistic hunters and are more likely to scavenge. They spend a lot of time soaring and gliding in thermals in search of food.

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. The European populations are small but the south Asian population is very large.

Date: 12th May 2015

Location: Lake Kerkini, Central Macedonia, Greece