![]() Their wingspan ranges from 175 to 195 cm and body length from 60 to 66 cm. Females are generally larger ranging from 1000 to 1300 g in weight, males are 800 to 1200 g. They have hooked beaks which are very sharp and designed for tearing meat. The bright yellow legs and feet can often be seen in flight. They have pale grey heads which are streaked with black. The main wing feathers (secondaries and primaries) are dark brown, which contrast with white patches under the wings. Red kites are brownish-chestnut in color with a mix of orange/buff and darker brown or black streaking. Most red kites nest within 20 km of where they were reared. Red kites can be very protective of their nesting area, but are not highly territorial of their entire breeding territory. Sometimes red kites take over an old crow or buzzard nest. Generally these nests are built 10 to 15 m above ground. Their only requirements are large, mature trees in which to build nests. Red kites are a wide-ranging species with a wide habitat tolerance. ( Newton, et al., 1996 Snow and Perrins, 1998) Vagrant birds have been recorded as far north as Finland and south in Israel and Libya. ![]() Red kites from northeastern and central Europe migrate further south and west, reaching south to Turkey for the winter season. They are rare kites that are resident in western Europe and northwest Africa. Formerly, these birds of prey also occurred in northern Iran. Milvus milvus is endemic to the western Palearctic region in Europe and northwest Africa.
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