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Kite is the common name for certain birds of prey in the family Accipitridae, particularly in subfamilies Milvinae, Elaninae, and Perninae. [1] The term is derived from Old English cȳta (“kite; bittern”), [ 2 ] possibly from the onomatopoeic Proto-Indo-European root * gū- , "screech."
The black kite was described by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in his Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux in 1770. [3] The bird was also illustrated in a hand-coloured plate engraved by François-Nicolas Martinet in the Planches Enluminées D'Histoire Naturelle which was produced under the supervision of Edme-Louis Daubenton to accompany Buffon's text. [4]
Kites of all ages have red eyes and red to yellow legs. [7] Males and females look alike, but the males are slightly paler on the head and neck. Young kites have banded tails and streaked bodies. [8] The bird is 12 to 15 inches (30–37 cm) beak to tail and has a wingspan averaging 3 feet (91 cm). Weight is from 214 to 388 grams (7.6–13.7 oz).
The birds are considered one of the most graceful fliers seen in America and often spend the majority of their lives scouring high tree tops for lizards, small mammals, and insects. The morphology of the swallow-tailed kite's wing and tail structure allows the bird to glide effortlessly for long distances. [13] [14] [12]
Red Kite at Bwlch Nant yr Arian, Wales, a local feeding ground. 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. The species currently breeds only in Europe, though it formerly also bred in west Asia and northwest Africa.
The brahminy kite (Haliastur indus), also known as the red-backed sea-eagle in Australia, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers, all found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia. The brahminy kite is found mainly on the ...
The two Haliastur species are medium-sized birds of prey with a strong, slightly squat rump, small head, relatively short and wide wings, a medium-long, rounded tail and short but strong legs and toes. The Whistling kite reaches a body length of 50 to 60 centimeters and has a wingspan of 120 to 145 centimeters. Males weigh an average of 700 ...
The snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is a bird of prey within the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. Its relative, the slender-billed kite , is now again placed in Helicolestes , making the genus Rostrhamus monotypic .