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Kite (Name applied to very active)

a name applied to very active, long-winged, smallfooted Falconidæ, with rather short beaks, never truly notched like those of falcons. They fly strongly and gracefully. The typical genus is Milvus, confined to the Old World, and represented by half a dozen species. Of these the common or red kite, the Anglo-Saxon Gled or Glead, used to be common in Great Britain, but is The bird measures two now very rare. feet in length and is predominantly rufous. It is generally distributed in Europe and round about the Mediterranean shores. Its nest is built on a tree and made up of sticks and rubbish. The eggs (three) are laid in April or May, and have dull-white or pale-blue ground, with spots or blotches of reddish brown. The black kite (M. migrans) has been recorded in Great Britain; the pariah kite (M. govinda) of India is a useful scavenger; M. isurus inhabits Australia. Under the title kite are also included the black-winged kites (Elanus ) of both hemispheres; the beautiful swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus), occurring in the warmer parts of North America; the hook-billed kite ( Rostrhamus) of South America and Florida, feeding, curiously enough, on fresh -water snails; and the large bee -kite or honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), inhabiting Europe and Africa. a