Black-winged kite

The name kite is misleading for this beautiful little bird of prey is not related to the Red and Black Kites. Together with the American Black-winged kite and the Australian Black-shouldered kite and the Letter-winged kite it is a different specie. Black-winged kites are drifters in the Netherlands. It hovers often while hunting, like a Common kestrel.

I made two efforts in the Netherlands to see one: once on the Veluwe where I only found a Common Shrike, and once near Den Bosch where I only found a note on a small shed, claiming that the bird left one hour earlier.

Luckily I found this bird in the South of Spain, where a couple nested that spring.

All my pictures can be found here

Field characteristics

A grey bird with a white belly and underside of the wings. A black mask with fierce red eyes. The underside of the wings have black tips and the upside has black patches from back to wrists.

Sound:

High squeeking sound.