Natural August: a month dedicated to our rich Natural History.
Natural August: a month dedicated to our rich Natural History.
Thousands of black kites (Milvus migrans) are now migrating south over the Rock. These early birds are mainly from the Iberian Peninsula. The adults and the young of the year move south quickly to escape the heat and drought of the summer months. They will be followed by birds from France, Switzerland and other parts of central and western Europe. They will now cross the Sahara to non-breeding areas in the Sahel which they will reach to coincide with the wet season. As the Sahel dries these kites will return north to breed during our wet season, between February and July.
The photos are of juvenile black kites, taken at Gibraltar