Red kite
The red kite is a bird of prey known for its graceful and soaring flight, often seen gliding for extended periods. Recognizable by its glossy chestnut plumage with darker markings and distinctive white head, red kites grow to about two feet in length and have impressive wingspans ranging from five to six feet. These raptors primarily inhabit forests and lakes, where they hunt and scavenge for a diverse diet that includes small mammals, birds, fish, and carrion. Red kites are diurnal and can travel up to six miles from their nests in search of food, displaying bold behavior as they may chase other birds or scavenge at garbage dumps.
Mating occurs in late March and early April, featuring elaborate aerial displays before building nests in treetops, where the female lays up to five eggs. The young kites are ready to fly after six to seven weeks, and they typically form lifelong pair bonds. There are two subspecies of red kites: one found across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, and another in the Cape Virgin Islands and West Africa, although the latter is rare. Red kites generally have a lifespan of four to five years in the wild, but some can live much longer in protected environments.
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Red kite
An old name for these birds of prey was glead or glede, which referred to their graceful and gliding flight. They can soar for hours without landing. The kites of paper or plastic that people fly are named after these birds because they may move in similar ways in the wind.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Milvus
Species: Milvus
Glossy chestnut plumage (feathering) with darker markings sweeps back on the bodies of the red kites. Their heads are white and streaked with fine, dark feathers. Red kites average two feet (60 centimeters) long. They weigh between 28 to 46 ounces (800 to 1,300 grams). Red feathers cover their thighs and blend with their red feet, which have short but sharp talons. Wings are nearly five or six feet (1 1/2 to 2 meters) long from tip to tip. The primary feathers at the tips are darker than the white patch on the underside of each wing and the chestnut feathers on the front edges of the wings. Tail feathers are long and forked, which helps the red kites balance in the air and control the direction of flight.
The habitats of red kites are mainly forests and lakes where the birds hunt for large birds, rodents, rabbits, fish, reptiles, and invertebrates, or animals without backbones. From a height of 65 feet (20 meters), red kites scan the ground with keen eyesight and dive to seize the unsuspecting animal. Carrion, or dead animals, are also a chief item in the red kites' diets. Although they can easily kill small animals, it is easier to scavenge for carrion. This is particularly true of large prey since red kites have short talons. These raptors, or birds of prey, may be bold and sometimes chase and pester other birds or steal their food. Scavenging may also occur in garbage dumps. Red kites are diurnal (active during the day) and may fly up to six miles (10 kilometers) from their nests to find food.
Red kites roost, hunt, and scavenge alone except when mating or gathering in small groups on winter grounds to feed and roost. They do not make much noise, but when they do, they sound like buzzards.
Mating occurs in late March and early April. Before mating, the birds fly in a mating display together. Rising to a certain height, they lock their talons together and free fall, spiraling and spinning until they are just above the tree tops. They separate and swoop upward again to repeat the daring pattern. Afterward, they build their nest in a treetop from twigs and other man-made materials. The female lays one to five white eggs speckled with reddish brown. The female spends most of one month incubating the eggs. The chicks are ready to fly after six or seven weeks. They can mate when they are two to three years old. Like their parents, they form a bond with one mate for their entire life.
The red kite is organized into two subspecies. The Milvus milvus milvus lives in the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa. The Milvus milvus fasciicauda lives in the Cape Virgin Islands and West Africa, though few of this subspecies remain.
Red kites may live to be four or five years old if they do not die by predators or hunters or changes in their habitats. Some have lived to 26 years in the wild and even 38 years in captivity.
Bibliography
"Red Kite." A-Z Animals, 28 May 2023, a-z-animals-com.webpkgcache.com/doc/-/s/a-z-animals.com/animals/red-kite. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.
"Red Kite." The Scottish Wildlife Trust, scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/species/red-kite, Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.
"Red Kite." The Woodland Trust, www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/birds/red-kite. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.