Despite the fact that it can be seen frequently in the skies of the Iberian Peninsula and, where there are crowds of people, this bird of prey and scavenger is in danger of extinction due to human hunting. However, it is valuable to have knowledge of what the red kite is like, its characteristics, habitat and diet. Here we will tell you.
What is a Red Kite?
The red kite (milvus milvus) also known in English as «Red Kite» or «Red Kite», is one of the most representative species of diurnal birds of prey in Spain. This specimen of the Accipitridae family has certain physical characteristics similar to the black kite, but both manage to distinguish themselves since the red kite has a different, more defined silhouette and a silver-gray color on its head.
Usually found mostly in northern Europe, but during winter moves south. Occasionally, some of them cross the Strait of Gibraltar to reach North Africa. Therefore, some reside in the Canary Islands and others in the Cape Verde archipelago. Although seeing this bird is considered common in these locations, the truth is that they are reproducing less and less and since 2011 it is listed as an endangered bird in the Balearic Islands due to the use of poisons.
Features
The red kite is one of the favorite birds of prey for those beginners in bird watching, since they have certain peculiarities in their appearance. Due to its light weight of around 1 kilo (900 to 1200 grams), length of almost 65 centimeters and a wingspan of almost two meters (170 to 190 centimeters), its flight is harmonic and refined, usually flying in large circles and in pairs. For this reason, identifying the flight of a red kite is very simple, in addition to having a very forked tail characteristic of the species, which is tucked inwards at the edges and differentiates it from its relative, the black kite.
The general plumage of this bird is a reddish brown tone, with the center of its feathers being black and a lighter whitish tone on the underside of the wings. On the other hand, the head is quite striking since it is silver gray. It is very difficult to distinguish the young specimens from the adults, since the differences are very minimal, such as the fact that the young have a darker eye that lightens over time or that they have a darker head and lighter plumage. In addition to the above, the absence of sexual dimorphism in this species is added.
Behavior
This bird is usually found accompanied by other members of the same species, however, it is highly adaptable and can surround itself with different types of vultures in middens and dumps to eat from there, even though it is not strictly a scavenger bird. Similarly, the red kite chooses to feed on small young and inexperienced animals, despite the fact that it is very skilled at hunting.
In addition, unlike other birds of prey that are usually very shy and need less populated and isolated areas of society, the red kite benefits from human activity and the waste that is left in the surroundings in order to feed. When night falls, it is common for this bird of prey to gather with others of its kind in parks and wooded areas, because it feels more comfortable there.
Habitat
The usual habitat of the red kite is the countryside with forests, these areas must be very open and with food nearby, because it nests in the forest and regularly flies over the field in search of rodents and poultry. In these forests it lives in the company of eagles and kites of another species, such as the black kite. On the other hand, in winter it likes to go to landfills and roadsides to look for carrion food.
The red kite is found throughout the Iberian Peninsula, except for the Canary Islands, which have been extinct since 1970, and the Balearic Islands, which are in danger of extinction due to the use of poisons. However, due to factors such as global warming, Spain has become a more winter refuge, and the red kite decides to spend the summer in northern Europe, where it breeds more and more. For this reason, although they normally live in the south of Spain, Germany and France they can also be in other parts of Europe such as Sweden and North Africa, where there are a large number, since many cross the Strait of Gibraltar during winter and nest there.
Food
The diet of the red kite will depend on the time of year. Therefore, before starting their reproductive period, usually in spring and summer, their diet will consist of small, diseased or inexperienced prey that are easy to hunt, such as; rodents, rabbit kits, farm chickens, amphibians, reptiles and even insects. It is common for it to hunt in remote and desolate terrain, close to the wooded areas where it nests. However, during the fall and winter, its scavenging eating tendencies come to the fore, so it frequents places such as garbage dumps, middens, and slaughterhouses.
Reproduction
The red kite breeding period begins at the end of February or the beginning of March. It nests for the first time at two years of age and in a group, the nests are built in very tall trees, more than 10 meters high. These nests are made of grass and branches, usually two to three eggs are laid there in spring or also, on less frequent occasions, one to five. Hatching happens between 35 and 38 days if it is three eggs, if the quantity is more, it can last a little longer. The incubation period is carried out most of the time by the mother, except for the moments when she is there, she needs to feed and her father replaces her.
Is the Red Kite in danger of extinction?
Although for many years its reproduction was constant and without any setbacks, for a couple of years it has been warned that the red kite is in danger of extinction. There are studies that assert that in recent years more than 700 specimens of this bird have been found dead as a result of ingesting poison. This is caused due to the baits used to hunt them, which spray them with a product that intoxicates them as soon as they consume it. Therefore, another species of bird in danger of extinction due to man enters the list. The Egyptian vulture subspecies, known as such in the Canary Islands region, is one of the most endangered in the world.
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