Falco milvus Linnaeus, Milvus regalis Pall. 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 red kite was described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Falco milvus.
Two subspecies are recognised: [ 8 ]. The subspecies M. The genus Milvus contains two other species: the black kite M. The question whether the Cape Verde kite should be considered a distinct species Milvus fasciicauda or a red kite subspecies has not been settled.
A mitochondrial DNA study on museum specimens suggested that Cape Verde birds did not form a monophyletic lineage among or next to red kites. Given the morphological distinctness of the Cape Verde birds and that the Cape Verde population was isolated from other populations of red kites, it cannot be conclusively resolved as to whether the Cape Verde population was not a distinct subspecies as M.
The Cape Verde population became effectively extinct since , all surviving birds being hybrids with black kites. The English word "kite" is from the Old English cyta which is of unknown origin. A kite is mentioned by Geoffrey Chaucer in his Knight's Tale. Red kites are 60 to 70 cm 24 to 28 in long [ 14 ] with a β cm 69β77 in wingspan; males weigh β1, g 28β42 oz , and females 1,β1, g 35β46 oz.
The body, upper tail and wing coverts are rufous. The white primary flight feathers contrast with the black wing tips and dark secondaries. Apart from the weight difference, the sexes are similar, but juveniles have a buff breast and belly.
