The black shouldered kite looks like and owl primarily due to its broad head. It is a comparatively small bird of prey, around 35 to 40 cm in length, with a wing span of up to 95 cm.
These birds prey upon reptiles and large insects. They are normally found perching on tall poles or open tree branches. When they spot a prey, they slowly hover over it, in the air and then, float down to pounce on it. This flight is very graceful to see.
These birds are usually seen as single or in pairs, near cultivation fields, open grassland with scrubs or open woodlands. They prefer to make their nests atop isolated trees.
The black shouldered kite is a very common bird in India. It can be seen in other continents like Europe and Africa. The black shouldered kites are not threatened and are evaluated as ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN Red List.
