Red kite
The third largest native bird of prey is easily identifiable by its deeply forked tail.
On warm days you'll see several red kites circling in the sky. They climb to the required altitude on the updraught, then glide over meadows, fields and orchards in search of prey, using their wings and forked tails to steer themselves. On the way they may find field mice, moles, a frog or a careless crow. Unsurprisingly, carrion crows are not pleased to see a red kite and will attack it in the air. But this bird of prey has a varied diet. You may sometimes see it walking across a freshly mown lawn, in which case it is looking for earthworms.
More informations
Latin name: | Milvus milvus |
Natural habitat: | Central Switzerland, the Jura and occasionally Alpine valleys |
Size: | Wingspan 175 – 195 cm |
Weight: | 0.75 – 1.6 kg |
Population: | 1,000 breeding pairs |
Migration: | Migratory bird, hibernates in some cases |
Nesting season: | March/April |