Black Kite
Milvus migrans (Boddaert, 1783) (5, 0)
Photo © KG Webb - Carn Vean, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, April 2024
Ex BBRC species 31/12/2005
STATUS
Old World. Polytypic.
OVERVIEW
All five records accepted by the BOU (1971).
RECORDS
1). 1866 Northumberland Deer Park, Alnwick, adult male, killed, prior to 11th May, photo., now at Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
(J. Hancock, Ibis 1867: 253; J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1869: 1598; Yarrell, 1871-85; Harting, 1872; Hancock, 1874; Howse, 1899; Bolam, 1912, plate VIII; Galloway & Meek, 1978-83).
History John Hancock (1867) in The Ibis, Vol. IX. p. 253, says: 'A fine mature male example of the Black Kite, came into my possession in a fresh state on the 11th of May, 1866. It was taken in a trap by Mr. F. Fulger, the Duke of Northumberland's game-keeper, a few days before, in the Red Deer Park at Alnwick. This is, I believe, the first time this fine rapacious bird has occurred in Britain.'
J. H. Gurney, jun., of Darlington (1869) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. IV. p. 1598, says: 'I am not aware that Mr. Hancock's Black Kite has been noted in The Zoologist. It was trapped in the red-deer park at Alnwick, by a keeper who thought it was a "moor buzzard", and it came up to Newcastle, in the flesh, to Mr. Bates, a birdstuffer, on the 11th of May, 1866. It was rather bloody, therefore Mr. Hancock simply skinned it.'
Hancock (1874: 9) says: 'A fine mature specimen was taken in a trap by Mr. F. Fulger, gamekeeper, in the Deer Park at Alnwick, May, 1866. It is in my collection: I received it in the flesh; it proved, on dissection, to be a male.'
Howse (1899: 8) in his Index-Catalogue of the Birds in the Hancock Collection, says: 'Case 21. No. 1. Mature male. Caught in a trap in the Duke of Northumberland's Park, Alnwick, May, 1867. See Nat. Hist. Trans., Vol. VI. p. 9. Remarks. - First British-killed specimen on record. J. Hancock.'
Admitted by Alfred Newton (1871-74 (1): 97-98, 4th ed.) in Yarrell's British Birds.
Comment Hancock published important papers on the Gyr Falcon and along with J. H. Gurney, jun., were the foremost raptor specialists. It now resides in the Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
2). 1901 North-east Scotland Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, male, shot, 18th April.
(G. Sim, Annals of Scottish Natural History 1901: 133; G. Sim, Annals of Scottish Natural History 1902: 119; Sim, 1903; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 1: 319; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 413; Thom, 1986; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007).
History George Sim of Aberdeen (1901) in the Annals of Scottish Natural History, Vol. X. p. 133, says: 'A male of this species was shot near the city of Aberdeen on the 16th of April last. In this specimen the expanse of wings was 49 inches; length from tip of bill to end of outer tail feathers, 21 inches; weight, 28¾ ounces. Its stomach contained a few small feathers. In this species the tail is much less forked than in the Common Kite (Milvus ictinus), and the tail feathers are crossed by broad dark bands which are most conspicuous on the under surface. The head and throat are dull grey. Upper parts dark brown, each feather being tipped with reddish-brown and its shaft black. Breast and abdomen lighter brown, each feather having a rather broad central stripe of black. I can find no mention of this species having occurred in Britain other than the single record made by the late Mr. John Hancock in The Ibis for 1867 (p. 253), of a specimen having been captured in a trap in the deer-park at Alnwick, in Northumberland, on the 11th of May 1866.'
[We are informed that the Peterhead Museum has "recently acquired a specimen of this bird from a local source". If this is a Scottish example we shall be glad to have full particulars. Eds.]
George Sim of Aberdeen (1902) in the Annals of Scottish Natural History, Vol. XI. p. 119, says: 'In the Annals for 1901, p.133, the Editors say: "We are informed that the Peterhead Museum has recently acquired a specimen of this bird from a local source. If this is a Scottish example we shall be glad to have full particulars". I am able to say that this example is not from a local source. It was sent as a dried skin from Bath to the person who sold it to the Museum. It is but fair to add that he did not represent it as a locally killed example.'
Sim (1903: 130) says: 'One was shot by Mr. Jackson, Cornhill, within Aberdeen city boundary, on April 18th, 1901, and is now in that gentleman's possession.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. I. p. 319, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'. Further, H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1909) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 413, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899', add: 'The date given for the Aberdeen specimen in Sim's Vert. Fauna of Dee is April 18th, 1901; and he says it was shot within the city boundary (W. Evans, in litt.).'
Accepted nationally as the first for Scotland (Forrester & Andrews et al. 2007).
3). 1938 Isles of Scilly Tresco, first-year, seen, 6th to 16th September when shot, now at British Natural History Museum (BMNH 3/305-12).
(A. A. Dorrien-Smith, British Birds 32: 237 B. H. Ryves, Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society Report 1938: 98; A. A. Dorrien-Smith, British Birds 36: 74; Penhallurick, 1978; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007).
History Arthur A. Dorrien-Smith (1938) in British Birds, Vol. XXXII. p. 237, says: 'During the early part of September, 1938, a puzzling hawk was seen in the neighbourhood of Tresco. It was at first thought to have been a Buzzard, but at one time I got a telescope on to it and at once decided that it was not that bird. It appeared to be dark and spotted and suggested an immature Spotted Eagle, but it did not tally in size with that species. The bird was eventually shot on September 16th and was submitted to the authorities of the British Museum who pronounced it to be a young Black Kite (Milvus m. migrans) a bird of the year.'
[Mr. R. S. R. Fitter informs us that he saw the bird above recorded on September 6th and again on September 9th at considerable distances. He describes its appearance as follows: "When first seen the bird was rising from the edge of the Great Pool on Tresco, where it had presumably been drinking. Its flight was heavy, and it soared a good deal. Its most noticeable features were a stripe of light-coloured feathers along the length of the wing-coverts, the very striped breast, the sepia primaries, which did not seem to turn up in flight, and the uniform dark brown (paler than the primaries) of the head, nape, back, rump and tail. I never observed the forked tail, but this may have been because I never saw the bird right overhead, but only obliquely. I did not hear it make any kind of sound".
The above is only the third recorded example for the British Islands, previous ones being in Northumberland in May, 1866, and in Aberdeenshire in April, 1901. - Eds.]
Accepted by B. H. Ryves (1938) in the Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society Report, Vol. VIII. p. 98. Arthur A. Dorrien-Smith (1942) in British Birds, Vol. XXXVI. p. 74, says: '...this bird was obtained by the keeper on Tresco.'
Accepted locally by Flood, Hudson & Thomas (2007) who add that it is in the British Natural History Museum.
4). 1942 Isles of Scilly Tresco, seen, 28th and 30th May.
(A. A. Dorrien-Smith, Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society Report 1942: 15; A. A. Dorrien-Smith, British Birds 36: 74; Penhallurick, 1978; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007).
History A. A. Dorrien-Smith (1942) in the Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society Report, Vol. XII. p. 15, says: 'Then at the end of October (I have not made a note of the date, but I told Witherby at the time), both F. Wardle and I saw a Black Kite. F.W. had a good view and, as he shot the first specimen recorded here, I feel he would be right: he saw it twice and I saw it twice, but could not be sure the second time as it was only a glimpse. I asked F.W. if he had seen a funny Hawk about and he then told me he felt sure it was a Black Kite.'
Arthur A. Dorrien-Smith (1942) in British Birds, Vol. XXXVI. p. 74, says: 'On 28th May 1942, I saw a Black Kite and on the 30th the keeper, who obtained the specimen we have here in September 1938 specimen, saw the bird again. The bird's forked tail and dark colour were well seen and we both are sure it was of the same species of Kite that we had in 1938.'
Accepted locally (Flood, Hudson & Thomas 2007).
5). 1947 Northumberland West Kyloe, Beal, first-summer male, shot, 14th May, now at Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
(S. E. Cook, British Birds 40: 251; G. W. Temperley, Naturalist 73: 122-123; Galloway & Meek, 1978-83; Kerr, 2001).
History S. E. Cook (1947) in British Birds, Vol. XL. p. 251, says: 'On May 14th, 1947, a Black Kite Milvus m. migrans was obtained by Mr. H. Hogg at West Kyloe, Beal, Northumberland, and received in the flesh in a fairly advanced stage of decomposition on May 20th. It is a male and appears to be in first summer plumage. The juvenile wing coverts are very faded and abraded and only one outer tail feather is retained, and this, together with the remainder of the tail feathers, is very worn. The fork is not nearly so pronounced as in another English specimen, an adult male caught in a trap at Alnwick Park, Northumberland, on May 11th, 1866. Strangely enough both birds were obtained within a few miles of each other. The gonads were well developed, measuring 28.0 mm. by 9.0 mm., and appeared to be in breeding condition. The stomach contained two earthworms. Measurements: - Wing - 446.0 mm.; Tarsus - 62.0 mm.; Bill from cere - 24.0 mm.; Tail, central feathers - 230.0 mm.; Tail, outermost feathers - 260.0 mm.; Depth of fork - 18.0 mm. Both specimen are in the Hancock Museum, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. This is the fifth British record.'
G. W. Temperley (1948) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. LXXIII. pp. 122-123, under 'Northumberland Annual Report for 1947', says: 'On May 14th a male, in first-summer plumage, was shot at West Kyloe, Beal. It had been in the neighbourhood for three or four days and was suspected of taking the farmer's poultry. This is the second record for the Black Kite in Northumberland; the first having been trapped in Alnwick Park on May 11th, 1886. Both these specimens are now in the Hancock Museum.'
Accepted locally (Galloway & Meek 1978-83; Kerr 2001).
NOT PROVEN
0). 1902 Yorkshire Mulgrave, shot, undated.
(T. Stephenson, Naturalist 29: 29).
[T. H. Nelson, Naturalist 1903: 128; BOU, 1971].
History Thomas Stephenson of Whitby (1903) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. XXIX. p. 29, dated 22nd October, 1902, says: 'Mr. J. A. Wilson, of Baxtergate, informs me that a Black Kite (Milvus migrans) has been shot at Mulgrave, and is now in his hands for preservation.'
T. H. Nelson of Redcar (1903) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. XXIX. p. 128, says: 'With reference to the record of the Black Kite near Whitby, in the January issue of The Naturalist (p. 29), which appears to have been inserted under a misapprehension, Mr. Eagle Clarke and I have examined the bird and find it to be a Montagu's Harrier, Circus pygargus (L.).'
Comment Misidentified. Not acceptable.
0). 1939 Essex/Greater London Stratford, seen, 24th October.
(Eds., British Birds 33: 198-199).
[Eds., British Birds 33: 198-199].
History In an Editorial (1939) in British Birds, Vol. XXXIII. pp. 198-199, under 'Black Kites released in London', they say: 'Mr. Percy W. Horn of the Stepney Museum informed us that he twice saw a Kite, which appeared to be a Black Kite, flying over Stratford on October 24th, 1939. We have since learned that several Black Kites have recently been given their liberty at the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park, and no doubt this was one of them.'
Comment Escape. Not acceptable.
0). 1952 Devon Newton Ferrers, 17th August.
(M. Brooks-King, Devon Bird-Watching and Preservation Society Report 1952: 18).
[BOU, 1971; Tyler, 2010].
History M. Brooks-King, Editor (1952) in the Devon Bird-Watching and Preservation Society Report, Vol. XXV. p. 18, says: 'On August 17th at Newton Ferrers a bird approached from the N.W. at c. 200 feet, passed overhead, circled twice and departed S.E. at 7.30 a.m. Size and shape similar to Buzzard but generally more slender, wings narrower, tail longer which was not expanded in flight and showing a definite indentation but not a deep fork. It was a dark bird with no pale markings on underparts except that the breast appeared darkly streaked on its paler ground colour, the head appeared paler and no markings were seen on the tail. The flight was buoyant with slow flaps interspersed with glides, the wings being held forward and horizontal when gliding unlike a Harrier or Buzzard (D. B. Hunt).'
Not accepted nationally (BOU 1971) or locally (Tyler 2010).
0). 1954 Dorset Wareham Heath, 9th May.
(A. Bull, British Birds 48: 85-86).
[Eds., British Birds 48: 86; K. B. Rooke, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Society 76: 163].
History Arthur Bull (1955) in British Birds, Vol. XLVIII. pp. 85-86, under 'Probable Black Kite in Dorset', says: 'On 9th May 1954, on Wareham Heath, Dorset, with J. R. Brock, R. J. Jackson and T. C. Pickering I saw a large hawk with a very long tail rise from on or near the ground on the edge of a plantation to the west of Great Ovens Hill. The bird got up with very leisurely wing-beats and at first sight was taken for a female Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus). After rising from the ground the bird circled several times at some height, soaring and sometimes flapping rather slowly. Once or twice it hovered with an action something like a Kestrel's (Falco tinnunculus), but it was noted that the long tail was not fanned or depressed and the wing-flapping was still very slow. The bird soared in a most effortless way and more than once appeared to stand stationary head into the wind, which was quite considerable, with no flapping or movement at all. On two occasions it dived steeply towards the ground. It was under observation for probably 5 to 10 minutes at ranges from 50 to 300 yards before it finally flew away.
The following summary is made from notes written down immediately on return from the field: - Size and shape: Length as Buzzard (Buteo buteo) but a much less bulky bird with very long tail and narrower wings. They were not however pointed as in a falcon and the bird never looked like a falcon. The tail was for the most part kept tightly closed - due probably to the wind - and was not noticed to be forked, but when spread it was noted that it appeared square at the end. Colour: Upper-parts (wings and back) reddish brown. No very definite wing-pattern, but the wings were somewhat streaked and J.E.B. and R.J.J. noticed that the tips were darker than the rest of the wing. The tail appeared uniformly dark. No white on rump. Under-parts were brownish - not conspicuously marked. When the bird rose from the ground it was noticed that the under-wing showed pale. The two most pronounced characters were the very long tail and the bird's great mastery of effortless soaring and controlled flight.
It was clearly a bird I had not seen before. It was not a falcon (lacked characteristic silhouette), not a Buzzard, nor a Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) (tail uniformly coloured); neither was it a harrier (uncharacteristic behaviour after first seen and lacked white on rump for Hen Harrier (C. cyaneus) or Montagu's Harrier or an Accipiter (wings not broad enough). After consulting The Handbook and A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe I have come to the conclusion it was a Black Kite (Milvus migrans). I am not familiar with either of the kites, but the bird's behaviour seems to agree well with descriptions I have read. The forked tail could easily have been missed as nearly all the time the bird held it tightly closed.'
[We consider that there is little doubt that this identification is correct, but in view of the fact that none of the observers has had any previous experience of kites, and one or two features seem abnormal, namely, the hovering and the tail kept closed even when the bird was soaring and gliding, we feel that it is best to treat it as a "probable", at least for the time being. - Eds.]
