# Black Kite (*Milvus migrans*)

The black kite (*Milvus migrans*) is a bird of the family Accipitridae, in the order Accipitriformes.

> The black kite (Milvus migrans) is a medium-sized, dark brown bird of prey with a shallowly forked tail, found across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. It scavenges around towns, rubbish tips and fires as well as hunting small animals, and is one of the most widespread raptors in the world. It has been recorded living up to 24 years in the wild and is listed as Least Concern.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN-style):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Europe, Africa, southern and eastern Asia and Australia; European birds winter in Africa.
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/black-kite/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Accipitriformes
- **Family:** Accipitridae
- **Genus:** Milvus

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Milvus migrans |
| Diet | Carrion, fish, small mammals, insects and human waste |
| Habitat | Open country near water, towns and villages |
| Length | 47–60 cm |
| Weight | Average about 540 g (ADW); 730 g (AVONET) |
| Lifespan | Recorded up to 24 years in the wild |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2021) |

## Identification

Black kites are dull dark brown with a paler head and a long tail that is only slightly forked, appearing almost straight when spread. They glide on bowed, angled wings, twisting the tail to steer. The red kite is more rufous with a deeply forked tail.

## Opportunists

Black kites eat almost anything: dead fish and animals, small mammals, insects, and food scraps in towns and at rubbish dumps. In parts of Asia and Africa they gather in large numbers around markets and slaughterhouses.

## Fire hawks

In northern Australia, researchers have documented black kites and other raptors picking up burning sticks and dropping them in unburned grass, spreading fires that flush out prey (Bonta et al. 2017).

## Status

BirdLife International lists the black kite as Least Concern (2021), estimating 4 to 5.7 million mature birds and a stable trend. European birds are long-distance migrants that winter in Africa.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between a black kite and a red kite?

Black kites are darker brown with a shallow tail fork; red kites are rusty-red with a deeply forked tail and white wing patches.

### Where do black kites live?

Across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. European populations migrate to Africa for the winter.

### Do black kites spread fires?

There are documented reports from northern Australia of black kites carrying burning sticks and starting new fires to flush out prey.

### How long do black kites live?

Animal Diversity Web reports wild black kites living up to 24 years.

## Sources

- [BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: Black Kite Milvus migrans. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/black-kite-milvus-migrans)
- [Animal Diversity Web: Milvus migrans. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Milvus_migrans/)
- Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898
- [Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/)

## Help protect the Black Kite

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

---
Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/black-kite/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.