Black kite: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the black kite lives – recorded in 112 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Milvus migrans
Group	Birds of prey
Status	Least concern (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Found in	112 countries
Continents	Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania
Mass	56 g (birth weight); 828 g (adult weight)
Class	Bird
Order	Accipitriformes
Family	Accipitridae

Where does the black kite live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the black kite in 112 countries and territories across Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania. Wikidata gives its range as: Nanling Mountains, People's Republic of China, Africa, Brazil, South America, Burkina Faso. In Belgium, France, United Kingdom, Netherlands it is listed as introduced (GRIIS checklists via GBIF).

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

How big is a black kite?

Wikidata records the following for the black kite: mass 56 g (birth weight); 828 g (adult weight).

Is the black kite endangered?

The black kite’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Least concern” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.

What kind of animal is the black kite?

The black kite (Milvus migrans) is a bird in the order Accipitriformes and the family Accipitridae, genus Milvus. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the black kite

The black kite or fire kite (Milvus migrans) is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors. It is thought to be the world's most abundant species of Accipitridae, although some populations have experienced dramatic declines or fluctuations. Current global population estimates run up to 6.7 million individuals.

Unlike others of the group, black kites are opportunistic hunters and are more likely to scavenge. They spend much of their time gliding in thermals in search of food. Their angled wing and distinctive forked tail make them easy to identify. They are vociferous with a distinct shrill whinnying call.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Black kite (revision 1380538340), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q80362 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).