Name
Milvus milvus
Red kite
Framing
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Milvus
Species: milvus
Habitat
Terrestrial. Forests and areas with scattered trees
Feeding
Predator (small mammals, fish, reptiles) and often scavenger. Throughout the winter, it frequents rubbish dumps, slaughterhouses, midden or farms. However, its marked scavenging tendencies lead it to scour the terrain at any time of the year in search of dead animals, especially roads, over which it hovers at medium and low altitudes until it finds roadkill.
Distribution
Europe and North Africa. Germany, France and Spain are home to 90% of the world population of the species.
Conservation status
In Spain it is considered in danger of extinction in the National Catalogue of Threatened Species. It is included in the Red Book of Spanish birds in the "endangered" category.
Additional information
Free-living. In pairs during breeding. Deep forked tail, reddish plumage with white patches under the wing. Unmistakable in flight, not only for the extraordinary skill with which it performs all kinds of manoeuvres and dribbles, but also for its characteristic silhouette, with a deeply forked tail, reddish-orange in colour, and long, angled wings with a highly visible white spot.
Additional information
Bibliography
- BirdLife International (2009). «Milvus milvus». Lista Roja de especies amenazadas de la UICN 2010.4 (en inglés). ISSN 2307-8235
- Cramp, S. Ed. 2000. Handbook of the Birds of Europe the Middle East and North Africa CD versión. Oxford, UK.
- Deán, J.I. 1998. Dormideros de Milano Real ( Milvus milvus ) en Navarra . Anu. Ornit. de Navarra 4, 35-43.
- Evans, I.M. & Pienkowski, M.W. (1991). World status of the Red Kite: a background to the esperimental re-introduction to England and Scotland. British Birds 84, 171-187.
- Grangé, J.L. & Hetier, A. (1996). Suivi de la population hivernante de Milan Royal ( Milvus milvus ) dans le piémont pyrénéen. Synthèse 1995/1996. Anu. Ornit. de Navarra 2, 79-84.
- Grangé, J.L. & Hetier, A. (1997). Synthèse du suivi des dortoirs des Milan Royal dans le sud de la France. Hiver 1996/1997. Anu. Ornit. de Navarra 3, 61-63.
- Grangé, J.L., Hetier, A. & Nerriére, A. (2002). L'hivernage du Milan Royal Milvus milvus dans les Pyrénées occidentales françaises. Nos Oiseaux 49, 1-14.
- Hagemeijer, E.J.M. & Blair (editors) (1997). The EBCC Atlas of European Bredding Birds: Their Distribution and Abundance. T & A.D. Poyser, Londres.
- Madroño, A., González, C. & Atienza, J. C. (Eds.). (2004). Libro Rojo de las Aves de España. MMA-SEO/BirdLife, Madrid.
- Martí, R. & Del Moral, J. C. (Eds.). (2003). Atlas de las aves reproductoras de España. DGCN-SEO/BirdLife, Madrid.
- SEO-Aragón. (1994). Resultado del censo invernal de Milano Real (Milvus milvus) en la Comunidad Autónoma Aragonesa. Rocín. Anuario Ornitológico de Aragón 1991-1992, 68-72.
- Tucker, G.M. & Heath, M.F. (1994). Birds in Europe. Their conservation status . Cambridge, U.K., BirdLife International, BirdLife Conservation Series No. 3.
- Urcun, J.P. & Bried, J. (1998). Autumn migration of the Red Kite Milvus milvus through te Pyrenees. En: Holartic Birds of Prey. R.D. Chancellor, B.U. Meyburg & J.J. Ferrero (eds.). Adenex-WWGBP
-Veiga, J. P. & Hiraldo, E. (1990). Food habits and the survival and growth of nestlings in two sympatric kites (Milvus milvus and Milvus migrans). Holarctic Ecology, 13, 62-71.
- Viñuela, J. Martí, R. & Ruiz, A. (eds.) (1999). El Milano Real en España. Monografía nº 6. SEO/BirdLife. Madrid.
- Viñuela, J. (2003). Situación del Milano Real en España. El Escribano Digital 39, 4-5.