Red Kite Milvus milvus   [Linnaeus, 1758]

Jump to: Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links

For details point at or click the button; for sources point at the button

   Page updated:16-January-2013

Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae
BTO Codes: KT, REDKI EURING No: 2390
Number in Britain: 1000 pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: AMBER
European: 2 Concern, most in Europe; Declining
Global: Near Threatened (Details)
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (AC3)  Resident/Re-Introduced Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies: milvus recorded in Britain (of 2 subsp. in the world)
.
Length: 63 cm Wingspan: 185 cm Weight: M: 1000 g   F: 1.2 kg    
Scientific name from: L.: milvus=a kite
World Distribution: Locally throughout Europe & nw Africa
Habitat: Pasture, open woodland, forest
Diet: Scavenger on carrion, scraps, will take small live prey
TitBit: This was once a common bird in London (Shakespeare referred to kites no fewer than 15 times), where it scavenged for scraps, and old rags for nest-building.  

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: No population trend available
Distribution: No distribution maps available
British Population Size:
    Summer: 1043 pairs in 2005-09
    First Record: Recorded in Anglo-Saxon times [Fossil evidence from Ipswichian (last) interglacial, c. 125,000 yr ago]
    Latest Survey: Holling, M. & RBBP (2011) British Birds 104:476-537
    Conservation Status: AMBER because Species of European Concern,
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 AMBER     1996-2001 RED  
   Races of Concern: milvus AMBER (European Concern)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
    Summer: 19 to 25 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe mapped by the EBCC Atlas
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(I,IV), WBD(I), Bern(III), Bonn(II), CITES(II)
Survey Results: Results from Welsh Kite Trust

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 57 x 45 mm Egg Weight: 63.0 g (of which 8 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 8
Clutch Size: 2 eggs
Incubation: 31- 32 days   by the: Female (occ. Male)
Fledging: 50 - 60days as: Altricial, downy
First Clutches Laid: Unavailable
Number of Broods: 1
Number Ringed: Annual Totals
Adult Survival: 0.610       
Juvenile Survival: 0.500 (in First-Year)  
Age at First Breeding: 2 years Typical Lifespan: 4 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 20 years 1 months 15 days (set in 2005)
Read a summary of Ringing Recoveries

Biometrics

Ring Size: G (pulli G or Ho)*
Wing Length Adult: Insufficient Data
Juvenile: Insufficient Data
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Weight Adult: Insufficient Data
Juvenile: Insufficient Data
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Seasonal:

Other Names

 
Gaelic: Clamhan-gobhlach Welsh: Barcud Coch
Danish: Rød glente Dutch: Rode wouw
Finnish: Isohaarahaukka French: Milan royal
German: Rotmilan Hungarian: Vörös kánya
Icelandic: Svölugleða Irish: Cúr Rua
Italian: Nibbio reale Norwegian: Glente
Polish: Kania ruda Portuguese: Milhano
Spanish: Milano real Swedish: Glada

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Carter, I. 2001 The red kite Arlequin Press, Chelmsford [598.521 CAR]
   Cross, T. & Davis, P. 2005 The Red Kites of Wales
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Read State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead