Väli Ü. (2024) Autumn migration of a juvenile hybrid of Red and Black Kite (Milvus milvus × M. migrans). ARDEA 112 (1): 158-163

Red Kites Milvus milvus and Black Kites M. migrans, two raptor species, occasionally hybridise in Europe. Yet the ecology of hybrids is virtually unknown. Here, I describe migration patterns of a hybrid offspring of the two species. In 2022, a juvenile hybrid male was GPS-tracked from its nest site in Estonia to southern Greece. Between 23 August and 18 September, the hybrid covered 3213 km and made three short stops lasting 1–3 days. The mean daily flight distance was 128 km (21.5–283 km). The route used by the hybrid is a minor flyway for both parental species. The quantitative migration patterns were more consistent with those of the Black Kite but were within the wide range of variation among Red Kites.