Aron Tanti

A raptor widely distributed across much of the Old World, including Oceania (BirdLife International 2021). Migratory strategies vary from resident to migratory. European black kites overwinter in tropical Africa across the Sahelian belt up to S Africa. An increasing number of birds overwinter in S Europe [e.g. Morganti & Pulido 2012; Literak et al. 2017).

Season of assessment

B

Population trendIncreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		372000-507000,433000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Black Kite

Relatively high number of recoveries from W and C European populations, but very few from E Europe. W European black kites winter majorly across the W part of Sahel. C European population shows broader front of migration, with recoveries from W to E Sahel, reaching Ethiopia. N and E European black kites seem to move across the Nile Valley to reach E and S Africa. Overall, therefore, relatively strong connectivity for the W and N/E population, with high overlap for the C European black kites.

Recoveries by Condition for Black Kite

Overall, most recoveries caused by birds found dead other than shot, also sick/wounded. This pattern, however, has varied with time. Before 1960, most birds were found dead, either by shot (ca. 40%) or found dead, sick or wounded ca. 40%). Since then, the proportion of birds found dead by shot has decreased and, from 1990 to present, roughly 50% of the birds are identified by their metal ring or other marks. However, 45% of birds are still found dead other than shot. This is patent in Africa, where there is a proportionally lesser amount of recoveries of birds seen alive.

Annual Movements for Black Kite

Departure from breeding sites shortly after fledging in adults, in Jul. Premigratory concentrations in Europe in Jul, movement to Africa patent in late Jul/Aug, up to Sep/Oct. Most recoveries in African winter quarters from Oct to Mar. Arrival to breeding quarters varies regionally (from Feb to Apr; delayed arrivals with increasing latitude), also temporal settlement patterns, which can happen in less than 20 days to up to 2 months (Sergio et al. 2007). Satellite telemetry studies reveal that adults improve their pattern of migration as compared to first-/second-year individuals, which has advantages in terms of survival or fitness (Onrubia & Martín 2021). 

Connectivity by Month by Region for Black Kite

Stronger flocking in autumn than in spring (e.g. Agostini et al. 2004). Major passage over S Europe to Africa chiefly channelled through two main geographical straits in autumn: Gibraltar (up to 170,000 birds, peak in Aug, less in Sep) (Martín et al. 2016); Batumi -Georgia- (ca. 100,000 birds, peak in Sep) (Verhelst et al. 2011); weaker passage through C Mediterranean, via the Sicily Strait (Onrubia & Martín 2021). In spring, main flow through: Gibraltar (peak in Feb/Mar); Sinai peninsula (peak Mar/Apr) (Panuccio et al. 2013).

Juan Arizaga

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Agostini, N., Premuda, G., Mellone, U., Panuccio, M., Logozzo, D., Bassi, E., Cocchi, L.2004 . Crossing the sea en route to Africa: autumn migration of some Accipitriformes over two central Mediterranean islands. 26Ring: 71–78
BirdLife International 2021 . Species factsheet: Milvus migrans.
Literák, I., Horal, D., Alivizatos, H., Matušík, H.2017 . Common wintering of black kites (Milvus milvus migrans) in Greece, and new data on their wintering elsewhere in Europe. 11Slovak Raptor Journal: 1–12
Martín, B., Onrubia, A., de la Cruz, A., Ferrer, M.2016 . Trends of autumn counts at Iberian migration bottlenecks as a tool for monitoring continental populations of soaring birds in Europe. Biodiversity and Conservation 25: 295–309
Morganti, M., Pulido, F.2012 . Invernada de aves migradoras transaharianas en España. In: SEO/BirdLife (Eds.), Atlas de las aves en invierno en España 2007-2010. Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medioambiente-SEO/BirdLife, Madrid: 59–64
Onrubia, A., Martín, B.2021 . Black kite Milvus migrans; In: Migration strategies of birds of prey in Western Palearctic. CRC Press, Boca RatonEditor(s): M. Panuccio, Mellone, U., Agostini, N.
Panuccio, M., Agostini, N., Mellone, U., Bogliani, G.2013 . Circannual variation in movement patterns of the Black Kite (Milvus migrans migrans): a review. 26Ethol Ecol Evol : 1–18
Sergio, F., Blas, J., Forero, M. G., Donázar, J. A., Hiraldo, F.2007 . Sequential settlement and site dependence in a migratory raptor. 18Behavioral Ecology: 811–821
Verhelst B., Jansen J., Vansteelant W.2011 . South West Georgia: an important bottleneck for raptor migration during autumn. Ardea 99: 137–146

Back to Analysis