Kites Milvus migrans lineatus (Milvus migrans migrans/lineatus) are spreading west across Europe

Abstract

Europe is commonly occupied by Black Kites of the nominal subspecies Milvus migrans migrans. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of sightings of Black Kites with morphological features of Milvus migrans lineatus suggesting the spreading of M. m. lineatus and a subsequent hybridization zone between M. m. migrans and M. m. lineatus in a westerly direction from Siberia across continental Europe. Furthermore, it appears that the emergence of Black Kites with lineatus features in Europe coincides with new observations of wintering Black Kites in some areas of southern Europe.