Red kite flying at the feeding centre near Llanddeusant Carmarthenshire Wales. 116204_Red Kite
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 is currently endemic to the Western Palearctic region in Europe and northwest Africa, though formerly also occurred just outside in northern Iran. It is a rare species which is resident in the milder parts of its range in western Europe and northwest Africa, but birds from northeastern and central Europe winter further south and west, reaching south to Turkey. The Red Kite is 60–66 cm (24-27 in) long with a 175–195 cm wingspan; males have a weight of 800–1200 g, and females 1000–1300 g. It is an elegant bird, soaring with long wings held at a dihedral, and long forked tail twisting as it changes direction. 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. The call is a thin piping, similar to but less mewling than the Common Buzzard. There is also a rare white leucistic form which accounts for approximately 1% of hatchlings in the Welsh population but is at a disadvantage in the survival stakes. Adult red kites are sedentary birds, and they occupy their breeding home range all year in the United Kingdom, though many of the global populations are migratory. Each nesting territory can contain up to five alternative nest sites. Both birds build the nest on a main fork or a limb high in a tree, 12-20m high made of dead twigs and lined with grass or other vegetation and sheep’s wool. In 1999 the Red Kite was named 'Bird of the Century' by the British Trust for Ornithology.
Size: 4752px × 3168px
Location: Red Kite Feeding Centre, Llanddeusant, Trecastle, Llangadog, Carmarthenshire
Photo credit: © DV Wildlife / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: attack, attacking, bird, birds, blue, buzzard, carmarthenshire, centre, diving, eagle, escoufle, feeding, flight, flying, gliding, harrier, kite, kites, llanddeusant, milan, milvus, prey, raptor, rare, red, redkite, redkites, royal, sky, soar, soaring, wales, welsh
