Black Kite vs Red-tailed Hawk
Milvus migrans compared with Buteo jamaicensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black Kite | Red-tailed Hawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Milvus migrans | Buteo jamaicensis |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 91.5 cm (36.0 in) | 124.0 cm (48.8 in) |
| Weight | 753.8333333333334 g (26.59 oz) | 1080.0 g (38.10 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Small to medium mammals, especially voles, mice, and rabbits. Also takes birds, reptiles, and large … |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 2-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Black Kite only
None
Red-tailed Hawk
Open country with scattered elevated perches such as trees, poles, and cliffs. Adaptable to farmland, grasslands, roadsides, and suburban areas.
Song & Call Comparison
Black Kite
Red-tailed Hawk
Iconic, raspy descending scream: 'kreeeeee-ar', often used in films for all raptors. Gives short barking 'kak' notes near nest. Juveniles beg with persistent squealing whistles.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Kite
Red-tailed Hawk
North America from Alaska to Panama, including the Caribbean. One of the most common raptors in North America.
Conservation Status
Black Kite
Red-tailed Hawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Black Kite
Red-tailed Hawk
Variable plumage from pale to dark morphs. Most adults have rich brown upperparts, a pale breast with a dark belly band, and the characteristic rufous-red tail.
Dark hooked bill with a yellow cere
About These Birds
Black Kite
The Black Kite is a medium-large raptor with brown plumage, a slightly forked tail, and an agile, buoyant flight style. It is one of the most abundant and widespread raptors in the world, inhabiting open woodlands, farmland, wetlands, and urban areas across Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It is an opportunistic scavenger and hunter, feeding on carrion, fish, small vertebrates, insects, and refuse.
Red-tailed Hawk
The red-tailed hawk is the most widespread and common hawk in North America. Its screaming cry is so iconic that it is often dubbed over bald eagle footage in films and television. These adaptable raptors thrive in human-altered landscapes and are a familiar sight perched along highways.