Birds
Red kite
Milvus milvus
The red kite is an elegant raptor with a long, reddish forked tail and buoyant, tilting flight. Almost exclusive to Europe, it is a symbol of one of the continent’s greatest conservation success stories.
from€85,40
In short
The red kite (Milvus milvus) is a species with IUCN conservation status LC (Least concern). It frequents open countryside, mosaics of farmland and woodland, nesting in trees. Animals in Black offers a fine-art portrait of it on a black background, available as a print on Hahnemühle paper: view the print.
Habitat & conservation
Where does the red kite live?
It frequents open countryside, mosaics of farmland and woodland, nesting in trees. Omnivorous and opportunistic, it feeds on carrion, small animals and refuse, often gliding low over fields.
Is the red kite endangered?
The IUCN Red List rates it Least Concern (LC) with an increasing population: downlisted from Near Threatened in 2020 thanks to reintroduction and protection programmes. Poisoning and illegal persecution remain risks.
Facts about the red kite
- Its reddish, forked tail is its unmistakable feature.
- It has been successfully reintroduced across several European regions.
- In 2020 it moved from Near Threatened to Least Concern.
Data source: IUCN Red List — Milvus milvus (Least Concern) · BirdLife International
RED List
Conservation status codes
- EX Extinct No individuals survive.
- EW Extinct in the wild Survives only in captivity.
- CR Critically endangered Extremely high risk of extinction.
- EN Endangered Very high risk of extinction.
- VU Vulnerable High risk of extinction.
- NT Near threatened Likely to become threatened soon.
- LC Least concern Low risk of extinction.
- DD Data deficient Not enough data to assess.
- NE Not evaluated Not yet assessed by the IUCN.