Species Profile

Red Kite

Milvus milvus

Quick Facts

Conservation

LCLeast Concern

Lifespan

10–26 years^[1]

Length

60–66 cm

Weight

800–1300 g

Wingspan

145–165 cm

Migration

Partial migrant

With its distinctive forked tail and graceful soaring, this rusty-brown hued raptor is making a remarkable comeback across Europe and beyond.

Also known as: Common Kite, Welsh Kite

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Gallery

Appearance

The Red Kite is a striking raptor with distinctive rusty-red plumage, a deeply forked tail, and long, fingered wings. Its head is pale grey with a yellow, hooked beak, piercing yellow eyes, and legs.

Both sexes look similar, with females slightly larger, although behavioural differences best identify them. The bird's underwing shows white patches near the wingtips, visible during flight.

Juveniles are generally paler and have a less silvery head than adults. They also have a dark band across their tail and light streaking on their chest and belly.

Identification & Characteristics

Colors

Primary: Red
Secondary: Grey
Beak: Yellow
Legs: Yellow

Attributes

Agility90/100

Strength65/100

Adaptability85/100

Aggression60/100

Endurance80/100

Understanding Attributes

Rated 0–100 based on research and observation. A score of 50 is average across all bird species. These attributes are relative and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Habitat & Distribution

Red Kites inhabit a variety of open countryside, including mixed farmland with scattered woods. They are found across much of Europe, with strongholds in Germany, France, Spain, and the UK.

In the UK, they are most common in Wales, central and southern England, and parts of Scotland. Some northern European populations migrate to southern Europe or North Africa for winter.

Distribution

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Where to See This Bird

Explore regional guides for locations where this bird has been recorded.

United Kingdom

Cambridgeshire

England

Wales

Rutland

Bedfordshire

Buckinghamshire

Berkshire

Dorset

Essex

Gloucestershire

Hampshire

Herefordshire

Hertfordshire

Leicestershire

Lincolnshire

London

Norfolk

Northamptonshire

North Yorkshire

Oxfordshire

Suffolk

Shropshire

Somerset

Surrey

Warwickshire

Wiltshire

West Yorkshire

Worcestershire

West Sussex

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Diet

Red Kites are opportunistic feeders. They primarily scavenge on carrion, mainly the carcasses of larger mammals and livestock, and smaller animals killed on roads.

They also hunt live prey, including small mammals, birds, rodents and invertebrates.

These adaptable raptors are known to frequent rubbish dumps and have been observed following farm machinery to catch disturbed prey.

Behaviour

Red Kites are known for their graceful, buoyant flight, often seen soaring and gliding with minimal wing beats. They are social birds, sometimes gathering in large groups of up to 100 strong at communal roosts or feeding sites (outside the breeding season).

These raptors are also skilled at food piracy, occasionally stealing prey from other birds.

Calls & Sounds

Red Kites are vocal birds known for their distinctive, high-pitched, rising and falling 'weoo-weoo-weoo' call. This mewing sound is often heard during flight or when interacting with other kites.

During the breeding season, they may produce a rapid series of 'wit-wit-wit' calls near the nest site.

Red Kites usually call when courting a partner or communicating with other members of their own species. They may also call if alarmed, excited, or distressed.

Nesting & Breeding

Red Kites form monogamous pairs, mating for life and returning to the same breeding grounds, where they typically breed from March to July. They engage in aerial courtship displays, with males presenting food to females mid-flight.

Nests are built in tall trees, often on woodland edges. They are a bulky structure of sticks lined with wool, grass, and other soft materials. Females usually lay 2-3 eggs, which are white with reddish-brown spots.

Incubation lasts about 31-32 days, primarily by the female. Chicks fledge after 48-50 days but remain dependent on parents for several more weeks.

Conservation

Once critically endangered in the UK, Red Kites have made a remarkable recovery due to reintroduction programmes and protection efforts.

However, they still face threats from illegal poisoning, collisions with wind turbines, and habitat loss in some areas of their range.

LCLeast Concern

^[2]

Population

Estimated: 60,000 - 70,000 mature individuals^[4]

Trend: Increasing^[3]

Elevation

Up to 1,600 meters

Additional Details

Predators:: Adult Red Kites have few natural predators, but eggs and chicks may fall victim to martens, crows, and other raptors. Ground predators can be a threat if nests are built too low.

Birdwatching Tips

Look for their distinctive forked tail and reddish plumage when soaring
Listen for their high-pitched 'weoo-weoo-weoo' call
Visit known feeding stations in the UK, particularly in Wales and central England
Scan open countryside and woodland edges, especially in the late afternoon
They often fly with their wings flexed and their tails constantly twisting to angle against thermals, which they ride with a leisurely grace. To take advantage of thermals, the bird will rise late after waiting for the sun to warm the land.

Did You Know?

Red Kites can live up to 26 years in the wild, though the average lifespan is much shorter.
They were once 'royal birds', protected in medieval England and Wales.
Red Kites are excellent flyers, able to stay airborne for hours with minimal effort.
Red Kites very nearly went extinct from the current-day United Kingdom and were indeed extinct in England and Scotland. Their numbers dwindled to just fifty-odd pairs by the 1980s, and the decision was made to reintroduce birds from Sweden and Spain to bolster their population. Since then, they have increased dramatically, highlighting the change possible through conservation.