Black Kite

Milvus migrans

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
GenusMilvus (Milvus Kites)
SpeciesMilvus migrans (Black Kite)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Komodo National Park

3 Verified sightings at Komodo National Park From 2019 to 2026

31,851 Verified sightings across all 128 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Black Kite

The black kite or fire kite (Milvus migrans) is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors. It is thought to be the world's most abundant species of Accipitridae, although some populations have experienced dramatic declines or fluctuations. Current global population estimates run up to 6.7 million individuals.

Unlike others of the group, black kites are opportunistic hunters and are more likely to scavenge. They spend much of their time gliding in thermals in search of food. Their angled wing and distinctive forked tail make them easy to identify. They are vociferous with a distinct shrill whinnying call.

The black kite is widely distributed through temperate and tropical parts of Eurasia and parts of Australasia and Oceania. Temperate populations tend to be migratory. Several subspecies are recognized, with several having previously had English names. The European populations are small, but the South Asian population is comparatively very large.

The black kite was described by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in his Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux in 1770. The bird was... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Komodo National Park

Haliaeetus leucogaster

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Haliastur indus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Circaetus gallicus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Pernis ptilorhynchus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

EN Endemic

Nisaetus floris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Aquila fasciata

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Elanus caeruleus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Pandion haliaetus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Berenty Reserve	🇲🇬 Madagascar	>90%
2	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~70%
3	Nikko National Park	🇯🇵 Japan	~60%
4	Ankarafantsika National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	~50%
5	Volcanoes National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~50%
6	Litchfield National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~50%
7	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	~40%
8	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~40%
9	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~40%
10	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~40%
11	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~40%
12	Bale Mountains National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~40%
13	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~40%
14	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~40%
15	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~40%
16	Mudumalai National Park	🇮🇳 India	~40%
17	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~30%
18	Kakadu National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~30%
19	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~30%
20	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~30%
21	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~30%
22	Nitmiluk National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~30%
23	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~30%
24	Cévennes National Park	🇫🇷 France	~30%
25	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	~30%
26	Jiuzhaigou National Park	🇨🇳 China	~30%
27	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~30%
28	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~20%
29	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~20%
30	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
31	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
32	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~20%
33	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~20%
34	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
35	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	~20%
36	Flinders Ranges National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~20%
37	Ranomafana National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	~20%
38	Semuliki National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
39	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
40	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	~20%
41	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
42	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~20%
43	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~10%
44	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
45	Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park	🇲🇳 Mongolia	~10%
46	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
47	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
48	Aigüestortes National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
49	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	~10%
50	Picos de Europa National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
51	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
52	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
53	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
54	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
55	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
56	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
57	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
58	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
59	Khao Yai National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~10%
60	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~10%
61	Ecrins National Park	🇫🇷 France	~10%
62	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~10%
63	Langtang National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~10%
64	Vanoise National Park	🇫🇷 France	~10%
65	Golden Gate Highlands National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
66	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~10%
67	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
68	Daintree National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~10%
69	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
70	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
71	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
72	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
73	Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
74	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
75	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
76	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
77	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
78	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
79	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
80	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
81	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
82	Mercantour National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
83	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
84	Ningaloo Marine Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
85	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
86	Hortobágy National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	<5%
87	Sundarbans National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
88	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
89	Grampians National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
90	Biebrza National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	<5%
91	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
92	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
93	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
94	Bavarian Forest National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	<5%
95	Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
96	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	<5%
97	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
98	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
99	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
100	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	<5%
101	Sierra Nevada National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
102	Royal Manas National Park	🇧🇹 Bhutan	<5%
103	Doi Inthanon National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
104	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	<5%
105	Great Otway National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
106	Cat Tien National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	Insufficient data
107	Kosciuszko National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
108	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
109	Cuc Phuong National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	Insufficient data
110	Hohe Tauern National Park	🇦🇹 Austria	Insufficient data
111	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
112	Noosa National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
113	Cape Range	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
114	Eravikulam National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
115	Way Kambas National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
116	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
117	Khao Sok National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	Insufficient data
118	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	Insufficient data
119	Booderee National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
120	Namdapha National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
121	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	Insufficient data
122	Gauja National Park	🇱🇻 Latvia	Insufficient data
123	Kerinci Seblat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
124	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	Insufficient data
125	Lamington National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
126	Triglav National Park	🇸🇮 Slovenia	Insufficient data
127	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	Insufficient data
128	Blue Mountains National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data

← Back to Komodo National Park

Black Kite

About the Black Kite

Closest Relatives at Komodo National Park

White-Bellied Sea-Eagle

Brahminy Kite

Short-toed Eagle

Oriental Honey-buzzard

Flores Hawk-Eagle

Bonelli's Eagle

Black-winged Kite

Osprey

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found