Black Kite

Subspecies

 * M. m. migrans – (Boddaert, 1783) : European Black Kite
 * Breeds central, southern and eastern Europe, as well as the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa, to Tien Shan and south to northwest Pakistan. Winters in Sub-Saharan Africa. The head is whitish.


 * M. m. lineatus – (J. E. Gray, 1831) : Black-eared Kite
 * Siberia to Amurland S around Himalaya to N India, N Indochina and S China; Japan. Northern inland birds migrate to E Persian Gulf coast and S Asia in winter. This has a larger pale carpal patch.


 * M. m. govinda – Sykes, 1832 : Small Indian Kite (formerly Pariah Kite)
 * Eastern Pakistan east through tropical India and Sri Lanka to Indochina and Malay Peninsula. Resident. A dark brown kite found throughout the subcontinent. Can be seen circling and soaring in urban areas. Easily distinguished by the shallow forked tail. The name pariah originates from the Indian caste system and usage of this name is deprecated.


 * M. m. affinis – Gould, 1838 : Fork-tailed Kite
 * Sulawesi and possibly Lesser Sunda Islands; Papua New Guinea except mountains; NE and E Australia.


 * M. m. formosanus – Kuroda, 1920 : Taiwan Kite
 * Taiwan and Hainan; resident.

Similar species
Red Kite (milvus milvus)

Diet
The Black Kite eats fish (hunted or scavenged on), carrion, refuse, small rodents and (rarely) birds. It sometimes chases other birds to steal prey from them.

Distribution/habitat
it's found in Europe, Asia, North Africa. It lives mainly near rivers and wetlands, where it's easy to fish or steal prey from other fish-eating birds.