Hawks and Eagles (Accipitridae) - HBW 2
Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
French: Milan noir
German: Schwarzmilan
Spanish: Milano Negro
Other common names: Black eared/Eared/Large Indian Kite (lineatus); Pariah/Indian Kite (govinda); Yellow billed Kite (aegyptius, parasitus); Fork tailed Kite (affinis)
Taxonomy: Falco migrans Boddaert, 1783, France.
Hybridizes with M. milvus on Cape Verde Is. Several of races frequently awarded separate species status, most notably lineatus and aegyptius (incorporating parasitus); intergradation indicates probably best regarded as single species, with several well marked races. Seven subspecies normally recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- migrans (Boddaert, 1783) - NW Africa and Europe E to C Asia (Tien Shan) and S to Pakistan; winters S to Africa S of Sahara.
- lineatus (J. E. Gray, 1831) - Siberia E to Amurland and Japan S to N India, N Burma and N China and Ryukyu Is; winters S to S Iraq, S India and SE Asia.
- formosanus Nagamichi Kuroda, 1920 - Taiwan and Hainan (S China).
- migrans (Boddaert, 1783) - NW Africa and Europe E to C Asia (Tien Shan) and S to Pakistan; winters S to Africa S of Sahara.
- lineatus (J. E. Gray, 1831) - Siberia E to Amurland and Japan S to N India, N Burma and N China and Ryukyu Is; winters S to S Iraq, S India and SE Asia.
- formosanus Nagamichi Kuroda, 1920 - Taiwan and Hainan (S China).
- govinda Sykes, 1832 - E Pakistan E through India and Sri Lanka to Indochina and Malay Peninsula.
- affinis Gould, 1838 - Sulawesi and possibly Lesser Sunda Is; E New Guinea and New Britain; N Australia S (in E) to Victoria.
- aegyptius (Gmelin, 1788) - Egypt, SW Arabia and coastal E Africa S to Kenya.
- parasitus (Daudin, 1800) - Africa S of Sahara, Cape Verde Is, Comoro Is and Madagascar.
- Least Concern
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A close-up of a juvenile. Segovia, Castile and Leon, Spain (ssp migrans)
Javier Ortas 15 July 2009 34 weeks ago 30 sec 4.3 -
A bird on a pole feeding on a piece of carrion. Sululta Plains, Ethiopia (ssp aegyptius)
Josep del Hoyo 24 November 2005 4 years ago 49 sec 4.2 -
An adult bird soaring over a river Monfragüe National Park, Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain (ssp migrans)
Alex García 30 April 2006 2 years ago 24 sec 4.1 -
A lateral view of a bird perched on a branch. Entebbe Botanical Gardens, Entebbe, Uganda (ssp parasitus)
Eldert Groenewoud 7 March 2008 1 year ago 20 sec 4 -
A bird on a branch, with four other individuals Mudumalai National Park, India (ssp govinda)
Stefan Behrens 2001 2 years ago 15 sec 4 -
A close-up of a bird preening. Afar Plains, Ethiopia (ssp migrans)
Josep del Hoyo 27 November 2005 4 years ago 43 sec 3.9
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Soaring Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter, Hong Kong
Bob Thompson 7 May 2009 44 weeks ago 4.6 -
.jpg "Black Kite (Milvus migrans) in flight.")
Black Kite in flight. Mahad, Raigad District, Konkan Division, Maharashtra, India
Ryan Brookes 5 February 2007 20 weeks ago 4.4 -
In flight. Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter, Hong Kong
Bob Thompson 8 February 2009 1 year ago 4.3 -
Flight displays between two kites. They try to grasp the talons while flying. Gironde, Aquitanie, France
Nicole Bouglouan 23 March 2005 7 weeks ago 4.3 -
Perched on dead tree Pui O, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Bob Thompson 19 December 2009 12 weeks ago 4.3 -
Juvenile perched Gironde, Aquitanie, France
Nicole Bouglouan 19 June 2004 7 weeks ago 4
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Typical call Chilll Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
RAM GOPAL SONI 1 December 2009 10 weeks ago 4 -
Usual call and calls while mating Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
(ssp govinda)
RAM GOPAL SONI 4 December 2009 13 weeks ago 4 -
Alarm Call Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
(ssp govinda)
RAM GOPAL SONI 6 December 2009 13 weeks ago 4
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