BIRD FAMILY
Milvus Kites

Yellow-billed Kite
Milvus aegyptius

A: Geelbekwou
G: Schwarzmilan
N: !huni-am hīsabes
Sp: Mmankgodi wa molomosehla
Ss: Mmankgodi wa molomosehla
Tw: Mmankgodi wa molomosetlha
X: untloyiya
Z: unhloyile

SIZE
55 cm (L)

HABITAT
Occurs in a wide range of habitats, often in large aggregations at a food source, and mixes with Black Kite. Breeds in southern Africa.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION
Common, intra-African migrant summer visitor and resident. Sometimes considered to be merely a race of Black Kite. Can be extremely difficult to distinguish from that species, especially in juvenile plumage. Mature adult distinguished from Black Kite by yellow-based bill, brown (not pale greyish) head, dark brown (not pale) eyes and more deeply forked tail. Immature has a black bill (only the cere is yellow) and a less deeply forked tail; often indistinguishable from juvenile Black Kite in the field, although sometimes shows more rufous coloration on underparts. While flying sometimes calls ‘kleeeuw’, ending with a trill.