Red kite  (Milvus milvus)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

The red kite has been described as 'the most beautiful bird of prey in Britain'. The plumage is a wonderful mixture of black, chestnut, grey and reddish-brown and the underwings have an obvious white patch contrasting strongly with jet-black wing-tips. In flight the red kite's most notable feature is the long, deeply forked tail. The wing-tips are strongly 'fingered' and the bird's soaring flight is one of the most graceful sights in the British countryside.

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