The Red kite (Milvus milvus) is a medium-large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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ScavengerScavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While sc...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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GlidingGliding flight is heavier-than-air flight without the use of thrust and is employed by gliding animals. Birds in particular use gliding flight to m...
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Soaring birdsSoaring birds can maintain flight without wing flapping, using rising air currents. Many gliding birds are able to "lock" their extended wings by m...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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Partial MigrantPartial migration is when within a migratory species or even within a single population, some individuals migrate while others do not.
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starts withThe Red kite is an elegant bird, soaring on long wings held at a dihedral, and long forked tail, twisting as it changes direction. Its body, upper tail, and wing coverts are rufous. The white primary flight feathers contrast with the black wing tips and dark secondaries. Apart from the weight difference, the males and the females are similar, but juveniles have buff breasts and bellies.
Red kites breed from Spain and Portugal east into central Europe and Ukraine, north to southern Sweden, Latvia, and the UK, and south to southern Italy. There is a population in northern Morocco. Red kites are resident in the milder parts of their range in western Europe and northwest Africa. Northern birds move south in winter, mostly staying in the west of the breeding range, but also to eastern Turkey, northern Tunisia, and Algeria. Red kites inhabit broadleaf woodlands mixed with heathland and pasture, valleys, thickets with nearby grasslands, or wetland edges. These birds can also be found in urban areas and more frequently in suburban areas where they like to visit groves and gardens.
Red kites are diurnal birds. They are usually seen singly or in pairs but sometimes may roost in small groups or form small flocks during migration. These raptors prefer to hunt their prey in open areas, flying low above the ground. They will also hunt by sitting on a perch for many hours waiting on prey to pass by. When the prey is spotted, the kite will dive bomb to catch it with the talons. Red kites are generally silent; however, their common call is a thin piping sound that birds make in flight and when excited they usually produce a high-pitched 'kiou-ki-ki-ki or 'rriu-rri-rri'.
Red kites are carnivores and scavengers. These birds feed mainly on small mammals such as mice, voles, shrews, young hares, and rabbits. They will also hunt live birds and occasionally reptiles and amphibians. Earthworms form an important part of the diet, especially in spring. Red kites also consume a wide variety of carrion including sheep carcasses and dead game birds.
Red kites are monogamous; they mate for life and breed from March to May. The nest is usually placed in a fork of a large hardwood tree at a height of between 12 and 15 m (39 and 49 ft) above the ground. A pair will sometimes use a nest from the previous year and can occasionally occupy an old nest of the common buzzard. The nest is built by both sexes. The male brings dead twigs that are placed by the female. The nest is lined with grass and sometimes also with sheep's wool. The female lays 1 to 3 eggs but 4 and even 5 eggs have occasionally been recorded. The eggs are non-glossy with white ground and red-brown spots. Incubation is mainly done by the female, but the male will relieve her for short periods while she feeds. The male will also bring food for the female. Incubation lasts 31-38 days. The chicks hatch altricial (helpless) and are cared for by both parents. The female broods them for the first 14 days while the male brings food to the nest which the female feeds to the chicks. Later both parents bring items of food that are placed in the nest to allow the chicks to feed themselves. The nestlings begin climbing onto branches around their nest from 45 days; they rarely fledge before 48-50 days and sometimes not until they are 60-70 days of age. The young spend a further 15-20 days near the nest being fed by their parents. Red kites usually breed for the first time when they are 2 years old, although exceptionally they can successfully breed when they are only 1 year old.
The main threats to Red kites include poisoning, through illegal direct poisoning and indirect poisoning from pesticides (particularly in the wintering ranges in France and Spain), and changes in agricultural practices causing a reduction in food resources. Other threats include electrocution, hunting and trapping, deforestation, egg collection, and possibly competition with the generally more successful Black kite.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total Red kite population size is around 25,200-33,400 pairs which are around 50,000-67,000 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.
Red kites are important predators and scavengers in their ecosystem. These birds control populations of their prey items and by eating carrion they clean up the environment, helping to prevent diseases from spreading.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...