Black Kite

Milvus migrans (Boddaert, 1783)

		adult adult juvenile
2014-08-08 Kanshengel. Almaty oblast. 2014-05-25 Jelturanga. Almaty oblast.2013-08-24 Karoy village, Almaty region	© Askar Isabekov © Askar Isabekov© Vassiliy Fedorenko

Distribution

Breeds and occurs on migration almost everywhere, excepting steppe and desert areas. Please see detailed distribution in the section Subspecies.

Biology

Common, by places numerous breeding migrant. Inhabits the riparian woods and forested lakes. Appears early, from mid March to April, latest migrants observed in mid-May. Arrived singly, in small groups or in loose flocks of up to a hundred birds. Nest is built in trees, on rock shelf or in cavity, from the twigs; nest cup is lined with various soft material (hairs, rags, dry grass etc.). Nest is used usually for several years. Clutches of 2-5, usually 2-3 eggs is from mid-April to May. Female mainly incubates for 30 days; male brings food for her and later for chicks. Nestlings of different ages were found in nests from end May to end of July. Autumn migration begins in August, most active migration observed in September in loose flocks (sometimes up to several hundred birds).

Subspecies

Milvus migrans migrans (Boddaert, 1783) Description. Head is light-brown, much lighter than dark-brownish mantle; the crown is with neat shaft streaks; belly, flanks, long leg-feathers and under tail coverts are with well developed red-brownish colour. Inner webs of primaries are black-brownish, rarer with pale marble pattern at base and very rarely with insignificant development of white at base. The outer web of P6 is slightly narrowed, or sometimes without narrowing. Male wing 430-460 (445), female 440-475 (460) mm. Distribution. Nests and occurs on migration in southern parts of Kazakhstan, on Syrdarya and Chu valleys, where intergrades with lineatus.

Milvus migrans lineatus (J.E.Gray, 1831) Description. Head is darker and less contrast with mantle; crown is less neat streaked; belly, flanks, long leg-feathers and under tail coverts are mainly brownish. Base of inner webs of primaries have well developed white, sometimes brownish barred. The outer web of P6 is sharp narrowed. Male wing 465-495 (478), female 470-520 (491) mm. Distribution. Nests in Western, Northern Kazakhstan, in Altai, Kalbinskiy Altai, in Zaysan depression, Tarbagatay ridge and in Tien Shan. Widespread on migration, including highlands (Bolshoye Almatinskoye lake).

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.