KITE


Meaning of KITE in English

n.

Any of numerous lightly built birds of prey that have a small head, partly bare face, short beak, and long, narrow wings and tail.

They are found worldwide in warm regions. Some live on insects; others are primarily scavengers but also eat rodents and reptiles; a few eat only snails. In flight, kites slowly flap and then glide with wings angled back. Kites belong to three subfamilies of the family Accipitridae: Milvinae (true kites and snail kites), Elaninae (including the white-tailed kite, one of the few North American raptors increasing in number), and Perninae (including the swallow-tailed kite of the New World). See also hawk .

Swallow-tailed kite ( Elanoides forficatus ).

James A. Kern

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.