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The Black Kite (Milvus migrans) is a medium-sized bird of prey. Unlike others of
the group, Black Kites are opportunistic hunters and are more likely to scavenge. kites and
other raptors help us keep our surroundings disease free by eating up all the dead rodents
and pests 
They spend a lot of time soaring and gliding in thermals in search of food. Their angled wing
and distinctive forked tail make them easy to identify. Both male and female kites look alike.
The Indian populations are well adapted to living in cities and are found in densely populated
areas. Large numbers may be seen soaring in thermals over cities. In some places they will
readily swoop and snatch food held by humans.
The Black Kite is commonly found in a variety of habitats like river edges, towns, villages,
big cities, timbered watercourses to open plains, in and around outback towns. These species
are not found in places like dense forests, high mountains and pure deserts.
Food Habits:
The Main food for black Kite is small mammals, lizards, grasshoppers and insects. These
species take both live and dead prey as their food. This black kite sometimes behaves like a
scavenger and does frequent trips in outback towns and garbage dumpyards.
Behaviour:
The Black kite is always found to be perched in the trees. They have a distinctive shrill
whistle followed by a rapid whinnying call. It produces a call like 'psee-err' followed by a
staccato 'si-si-si-si-si'. These species often gather together and soar above fires, workers,
shooters, or watching for flushed prey.
Migration:
The tropical species of these black kites are resident in nature. The temperate population of
these species is migratory in nature.
Breeding:
The Black kites found in India start their breeding in the winter season. The young black
kites come out before the monsoon starts. They build the nest in a tall tree by using rags
and twigs and the nest structure and orientation is based on wind and rainfall of their living
atmosphere. In these species both male and female participate in the nest building activity,
also, they used colourful wires or plastic materials to tell that it is their nest.
Brahminy kite (Haliastur indus)
The brahminy kite is distinctive and contrastingly coloured, with chestnut plumage except
for the white head and breast and black wing tips. The juveniles are browner. The call is a
mewing keeyew.
The brahminy kite is about the same size as the black kite (Milvus migrans) and has a typical
kite flight, with wings angled, but its tail is rounded unlike the black kite, which has forked
tails. The characteristic of Brahminy kite is similar to that of a black kite.
Brahminy kite
A juvenile Brahminy kite