Listen to the black kite
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the black kite
The black kite is a bird in the family Accipitridae (order Accipitriformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults have a wingspan of about 152 cm and weigh around 828 g.
What does the black kite sound like?
Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once. Songs tend to be long and patterned and are used to hold territory and attract a mate; calls are short signals for contact, alarm and flight.
The recordings here are labelled as call. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
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.
Related birds in the genus Milvus
More from the family Accipitridae
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Eurasian sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
Eurasian goshawk
Astur gentilis
Common buzzard
Buteo buteo
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Eurasian griffon vulture
Gyps fulvus
Hen harrier
Circus cyaneus
Short-toed snake eagle
Circaetus gallicus
Booted eagle
Hieraaetus pennatus
Bonelli's eagle
Aquila fasciata
Black-winged kite
Elanus caeruleus
Frequently asked questions
What does a black kite sound like?
You can hear 3 recordings of the black kite on this page, including its call. Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once.
Is the black kite endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the black kite as “least concern”.
What family does the black kite belong to?
The black kite (Milvus migrans) belongs to the family Accipitridae in the order Accipitriformes.
Sources & credits
- Call · Aljarafe (near Aznalcázar), Sevilla, Andalucía, Spain by Joost van Bruggen – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Call · Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya by Anne Ndung'u – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Call · Sérignan, Hérault, Occitanie, France by GESHORS Yann – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q80362 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Black kite – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by Thomas Kraft ( ThKraft ) – CC BY-SA 2.5