Black kites are very familiar to humans because these birds prefer to live under artificial conditions created by humans. They are also called pariahs and can be seen in human settlements, like towns, large villages or along rivers and lake shores.
These birds are mainly black in colour and have a shallow-forked tail. These birds eat dead animals, especially fish and they hunt for food in garbage. Meanwhile, there are two things they have a special liking for; worms on freshly ploughed land and young chicken. They ‘kidnap’ little chicks to feed their young and this makes them a serious nuisance to poultry farmers.
Black kites are very common in India. Outside India, they are also seen in Europe, Africa, throughout Asia and Australia.
