Kite

Kites
Black Kite
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Falconiformes (or Accipitriformes, q.v.)
Family:	Accipitridae
Genera
Milvinae Harpagus Ictinia Rostrhamus Helicolestes Haliastur Milvus Lophoictinia Hamirostra Elaninae Elanus Chelictinia Machaerhamphus Gampsonyx Elanoides

Kites (Old English Glede) are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. Most feed mostly on carrion but some take various amounts of live prey.

They are birds of prey which, along with hawks and eagles, are from the family Accipitridae.

Species list

• Subfamily Elaninae
  • Genus Elanus
    • Black-winged Kite, Elanus caeruleus
    • Black-shouldered Kite, Elanus axillaris
    • White-tailed Kite, Elanus leucurus
    • Letter-winged Kite, Elanus scriptus
  • Genus Chelictinia
    • African Swallow-tailed Kite, Chelictinia riocourii
  • Genus Machaerhamphus
    • Bat Hawk, Machaerhamphus alcinus
  • Genus Gampsonyx
    • Pearl Kite, Gampsonyx swainsonii
  • Genus Elanoides
    • Swallow-tailed Kite, Elanoides forficatus
• Subfamily Milvinae
  • Genus Harpagus
    • Double-toothed Kite, Harpagus bidentatus
    • Rufous-thighed Kite, Harpagus diodon
  • Genus Ictinia
    • Mississippi Kite, Ictinia mississippiensis
    • Plumbeous Kite, Ictinia plumbea
  • Genus Rostrhamus
    • Snail Kite, Rostrhamus sociabilis
  • Genus Helicolestes
    • Slender-billed Kite, Helicolestes hamatus - formerly in Rostrhamus
  • Genus Haliastur
    • Whistling Kite, Haliastur sphenurus
    • Brahminy Kite, Haliastur indus
  • Genus Milvus
    • Red Kite, Milvus milvus
      • Cape Verde Kite, Milvus (milvus) fasciicauda - extinct (2000)
    • Black Kite, Milvus migrans
    • Black-eared Kite, Milvus (migrans) lineatus
    • Yellow-billed Kite, Milvus (migrans) aegyptius
  • Genus Lophoictinia
    • Square-tailed Kite, Lophoictinia isura
  • Genus Hamirostra
    • Black-breasted Buzzard, Hamirostra melanosternon

A few of the Perninae are also called kites.

• Grey-headed Kite, Leptodon cayanensis
• White-collared Kite, Leptodon forbesi
• Hook-billed Kite, Chondrohierax uncinatus

Symbolism

Shakespeare associates the kite with "meanness, cruelty and death"^[1] and stealing rags ("When the kite builds, look to lesser linen").^[2]

Biblical References

The kite is listed in Leviticus, 11.14, as 'an abomination'.

See also

• Gledhill - for names derived from the 'Old English' Glede.

Notes

1. ^ Edward A. Armstrong, Shakespeare's Imagination (1946; reissued Lincoln, Nebraska, 1963), p. 12.
2. ^  "Kite". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911. 

External links

• Weekly Radio Segments from With the Wild Things: Kites
• Kite videos on the Internet Bird Collection

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