1. (Zoöl.) Any raptorial bird of the subfamily Milvinæ, of which many
species are known. They have long wings, adapted for soaring, and
usually a forked tail.
The European species are Milvus ictinus and M. migrans; the pariah kite
of India is M. govinda; the sacred or Brahmany kite of India is
Haliastur Indus; the American fork-tailed kite is the Nauclerus
furcatus.