Mud collection by Black Kite at Dorekere, Bangalore

Dorekere, Bangalore,  13.2.2022,7.50 AM . Image credit :Vishesh P V.

Reshma P.V. and her son Vishesh P.V. have reported, with a photograph, a kite picking a clod of mud at the edge of a lake in Bangalore. This is an interesting observation since there have been just a few reports on the use of mud in their nest. What the kite did in this particular instance is unknown.

[Editor] The use of mud in the nests of kites both, Milvus migrans and Haliastur indus, has largely been undocumented. Clods of mud have been seen being placed in the nest by Dr Arunachalam Kumar in Haliastur indus. L. Shyamal has observed this in Milvus migrans and had corresponded with Dr Kumar on the topic. The adaptive significance is unknown, it might give mechanical stability to the nest or be of value in nest sanitation.