Black Kite

Milvus migrans

Other Pics: Black Kite on Road

Other Names

  Yellow-billed Kite   Milan noir   Schwarzmilan   Milano Negro   Brun glada   Zwarte Wouw   Nibbio bruno

World: Very widely distributed across continental Europe, Asia (except the eastern regions), the Near and Middle East, Africa, Indonesia and Australia.

Kenya: Occurs in numbers throughout the country particularly around human habitations.

This is a highly successful and abundant raptor which is omniverous and has developed a commensal relationship with man. It is a gregarious bird and is probably the most successful and numerous bird of prey in the world. Its diet is extremely varied even including some fruit (in particular the fruit of the oil palm). It will scavenge for offal and other animal remains, while in some areas fish forms an important part of its diet. It will also kill small mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians - this prey is taken from the ground. In the air it will take and eat large insects. Despite its success its numbers have declined in some areas (particularly in Europe) in part as a result of poisoning and the use of pesticides.

There are 3 subspecies of the Black Kite which occur in Kenya, M. m. migrans is a palearctic migrant seen from October to March. This is the species pictured in flight, above. It shows a dark bill with contrasting yellow cere. M. m. parasitus (otherwise known as the Yellow-billed Kite) is an intra-African migrant present throughout the year (this is pictured on the linked page) - and shows an entirely yellow bill. The third subspecies, M. m. aegyptius is less common, occurring mostly at the coast.