The BLACK KITE (_Hydroictinia atra_) inhabits the southern provinces of
Germany, Russia, and Central Asia, as far as Japan. This species is from
twenty-one to twenty-three inches long, and from forty-eight to fifty
broad; the wing measures sixteen, and the tail from eleven to twelve
inches. The distinguishing characteristics of this bird are its somewhat
delicate beak, furnished with well developed, tooth-like appendages, and
terminating in a long hook; and the shape of its wings, in which the
fourth quill is the longest, and the first shorter than the seventh; its
tail is, moreover, black and forked. The plumage, composed of narrow
feathers, is of a dirty white upon the head, throat, and neck, streaked
longitudinally with dark greyish brown; the breast is reddish brown,
varied with still darker markings; the feathers on the breast and the
hose are rust-red, with black shafts; those on the back, shoulders, and
wing-covers are dark brown, with a narrow light border; the upper wing is
rust colour, each feather being edged with brownish white, and spotted
with black on the shaft. The quills, which are tipped with brownish
black, are whitish upon the inner web; the tail is brown, and decorated
with from nine to twelve narrow brown and black lines; the beak is black,
the cere yellow, the eyes brownish grey, and the feet orange. The plumage
of the young is of an uniform brown, the cere and feet of a paler yellow
than those of the adult birds; the beak is black, and the eyes dark brown.
The Black Kite is replaced in Africa and South-western Asia by a species
known as the Parasite Kite, for which it is frequently mistaken. The
former is very commonly met with in Russia and the eastern parts of our
continent, where it frequents such woodland districts as are in the
vicinity of water, to which it flies daily in search of food, returning
at night to sleep upon the trees. The season for migration commences
about October; but this bird seldom journeys farther south than Egypt,
and returns to its summer quarters in the month of March. The Black Kite
is in many respects highly endowed, though by no means worthy to be
classed among the nobler Birds of Prey. Its flight is light, hovering,
and capable of being long sustained; when upon the ground, its movements
are also more graceful than those of most of its congeners, the body and
head being held erect. The sight of this species is remarkably acute,
and its other senses by no means deficient; its instincts are keen, yet,
in spite of these many gifts, the Black Kite must be regarded as one of
the most audacious and shameless beggars to be found among the feathered
tribes. Too lazy and cowardly to kill its own prey, it devotes its life
for the most part to theft, stealing habitually the quarry other birds
have obtained, and following and tormenting them with such pertinacity,
that at last, out of sheer weariness of its importunities, they throw
down the coveted prize; it will, however, destroy rats, mice, and other
small quadrupeds, and frequently captures fishes during the spawning
season.
Notwithstanding that the cowardice of this bird is so great that a
clucking hen could scare it away, it manages to render itself a most
troublesome visitor to the farmyard, where its cunning and adroitness
stand in the stead of nobler qualities, and enable it, unobserved, to
steal many a fat chicken or duckling. When other food is scarce it
will consume frogs, and is always attracted by carrion. The breeding
season commences about April or May, and is inaugurated by a series of
graceful evolutions through the air, in the performance of which both
male and female take a share, the former continuing frequently to soar
aloft for the entertainment of his mate during such time as family cares
confine her to the nest. The eyrie is placed upon a very high tree, and
most artistically constructed of dry twigs, with some soft and elastic
material, such as moss, hay, shreds of cloth, or even cuttings of paper.
The brood, which consists of three or four yellowish or greyish white
eggs, either marked or spotted with brown, is tended by the female with
great care and affection. The young are reared upon mice, frogs, and
occasionally small birds; they remain for a long time in the nest, and
even some weeks after leaving it are nourished and instructed by their
parents; when this period of tuition is over they separate, each bird
going its own way, and beginning life for itself. Towards autumn they all
again assemble, previous to setting forth upon their winter migrations.
When in captivity the Black Kite soon learns to attach itself to those
that feed it.