News

A Black Kite Nest has been Found in LVM Vidusdaugava Region

This year, a new black kite (Milvus migrans) nest was found in LVM Vidusdaugava Region. The black kite is rare in Latvia and in recent years only 10 nests of this species have been identified here. The newly found nest was successful this year - there were two babies in it.

Black kites usually breed in small forest clusters close to water reservoirs of various sizes, either on lake islands or on peninsulas. Nests are built on trees of various species, 8 to 15 metres above the ground.

“Interestingly, unlike many other birds of prey, black kites decorate their nests with a variety of rubbish - rags, papers, plastic bags - just because they seem pretty to them. Kites perform the sanitary function in the forest - they pick up dead animals and collect garbage near their nesting site. Often they fly to dumps for some décor and food,” tells Aigars Kalvāns, LVM Environmental Expert.

Black kites look for food in low and slow flight, sometimes also walking on foot. They use a wide range of food; mainly they feed on animals - fish, and also hunt small mammals (voles, mice), birds, reptiles and amphibians, including insects.

The black kite is a migratory bird. They go to their wintering areas in Africa or the Middle East in late September. They return to their nesting sites in mid-April.