Yellow-billed Kite / Black Kite

Afrikaans name: Geelbekwou

Yellow-billed Kites have a distinctive shape to their tail in flight

Photo © Steven Herbert

Milvus aegyptius parasitus / Milvus migrans

The Yellow-billed Kite is regarded by many scientists as a sub-species of the Black Kite Milvus migrans.

Yellow-billed Kites breed in South Africa during summer but migrate north during winter. They start arriving back during August.

In many areas they are a common sight during summer. In fact they are the 'hawk' that many people are familiar with. They have a slow flight and swivel their tails a lot.

Photo © Steven Herbert

Those that regard them as 'hawks' want to lock up their pets when they are around for fear that they will be carried off. In reality they eat insects and small mammals. Road kill is a favourite of theirs.

The Yellow-billed Kite is found in most areas, apart from those that are really arid.

Roberts Birds Names by Edition for the Yellow-billed Kite

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	129	Milvus aegyptius parasitus
2nd	129	Milvus aegyptius
3rd	129	Milvus aegyptius
4th	129	Milvus aegyptius
5th	126	Milvus migrans
6th	126	Milvus migrans
7th	(-)	Milvus aegyptius

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	129	Yellow-billed Kite
2nd	129	Yellowbilled Kite
3rd	129	Yellowbilled Kite
4th	129	Yellowbilled Kite
5th	126	Yellowbilled Kite
6th	126	Yellowbilled Kite
7th	(-)	Yellow-billed Kite

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	129	Geelbek-wou
2nd	129	Geelbek-wou
3rd	129	Geelbekwou
4th	129	Geelbekwou
5th	126	Geelbekwou
6th	126	Geelbekwou
7th	(-)	Geelbekwou

Roberts Birds Names by Edition for the Black Kite

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	128	Milvus migrans migrans
2nd	128	Milvus migrans
3rd	128	Milvus migrans
4th	128	Milvus migrans
5th	126	Milvus migrans
6th	126	Milvus migrans
7th	349	Milvus migrans

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	128	Black Kite
2nd	128	Black Kite
3rd	128	Black Kite
4th	128	Black Kite
5th	126	Black Kite
6th	126	Black Kite
7th	349	Black Kite

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	128	Swart-wou
2nd	128	Swart Wou
3rd	128	Swart Wou
4th	128	Swart Wou
5th	126	Swartwou
6th	126	Swartwou
7th	349	Swartwou

References and further reading

The Status & Conservation of Birds of Prey in the Transvaal - Author: W. Tarboton and D. Allan - Published: 1984 - Page: 22

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 48

The Sandton Field Guide - Author: Sandton Nature Conservation Society - Published: 1982 - Page: 45

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 50

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 104

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 87

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 150

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 108

Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands - Author: Alan and Meg Kemp - Published: 1998 - Page: 186

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 112

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 92

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 107

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 86

Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 142

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 69

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 158

Know your Birds of Prey - Author: - Published: 0 - Page: 25

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 158

Ian Sinclairs Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 88

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 50

Everyones Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 54

Eagles, Hawks & Falcons of the World - Author: Leslie Brown and Dean Amadon - Published: 1989 - Page: 262

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 14

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 44

Birds of the South Western Cape - Author: Joy Frandsen - Published: 0 - Page: 50

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 64

Birds of Prey of the World - Author: Friedhelm Weick - Published: 1980 - Page: 72

Birds of Prey of Southern Africa - Author: Peter Steyn - Published: 1985 - Page: 41

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 70

An Introduction to the Birds of Prey of South Africa - Author: D.V. Prout-Jones - Published: 1974 - Page: 34

An Introduction to the Birds of Prey of South Africa - Author: D.V. Prout-Jones - Published: 1974 - Page: 95

Animals of the Kruger National Park - Author: G. de Graaff - Published: 1987 - Page: 69

African Birds of Prey - Author: Leslie Brown - Published: 1970 - Page: 53

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 68

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List of South African Birds