25 February 2020

Black Kites - Ushaiqer

Whilst birding the Ushaiqer area near Riyadh where thousands of Steppe Eagles are wintering, I saw a few Black Kites associating with them. Numbers were always low with two together being a maximum and these birds beng wintering ones rather than passage as they were seen in early January. The birds looked like typical Black Kites rather than the similar subspecies Black-eared Kite. The Black Kite is a medium-sized bird of prey that is a widespread species throughout the temperate and tropical parts of Eurasia and parts of Australasia. Black Kite Milvus migrans migrans - Breeds Central, Southern and Eastern Europe to Tien Shan and south to NW Pakistan and winters in sub-Saharan Africa with a few in the Arabian Peninsula. 
Black Kite

Black Kite

Black Kite

Black Kite

Black Kite

Black Kite

Black Kite