


Black Kite
Milvus migrans
Silhouette: PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
- FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- GenusMilvus (Milvus Kites)
- SpeciesMilvus migrans (Black Kite)
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
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.
The black kite is widely distributed through temperate and tropical parts of Eurasia and parts of Australasia and Oceania. Temperate populations tend to be migratory. Several subspecies are recognized, with several having previously had English names. The European populations are small, but the South Asian population is comparatively very large.
The black kite was described by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in his Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux in 1770. The bird was... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Black Kite in Rabat
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Islamabad | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | |
| 2 | Visakhapatnam | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Agra | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Serrekunda | 🇬🇲 Gambia | |
| 5 | Hajipur | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Bengaluru | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Karachi | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | |
| 8 | Srinagar | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 9 | Ranchi | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 10 | Kathmandu | 🇳🇵 Nepal |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
Closest Relatives at Rabat
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Black Kite in Rabat?
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black Kite sighting in Rabat on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 70th most-seen of the 100 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Black Kite in Rabat?
May
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Black Kite in Rabat on a given day, against under 5% in March, June and September–January, the lowest months. That is one of Rabat's driest months, with about 20 mm of rain against 100 mm in November.
What time of day is best to see a Black Kite?
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black Kite sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Rabat the best place to see a Black Kite?
130th of 164
Of the 164 cities where we can rate Black Kite sightings, Rabat ranks 130th at about 10%. The best odds are in Islamabad (Pakistan, over 90%), Visakhapatnam (India, over 90%) and Agra (India, about 90%).
Which relatives of the Black Kite live in Rabat?
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the Black Kite that you can see in Rabat (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are Western Marsh-Harrier (about 20%), Long-legged Buzzard (about 10%) and Eurasian Sparrowhawk (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Black Kite sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black Kite is recorded against all the birds logged in Rabat (12 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.


