Talk:Black Kite

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[edit] Query

Why include a trivial note on distribution in just one area, the UK, where the species almost never occurs, while steadfastly removing info on the area where the greatest number of people are likely to easily see it? That is to say, The Peak, Hong Kong, where the species is very conspicuous and even flies among the skyscrapers of the downtown area (there has even been a "birds of Hong Kong" postage stamp series issued showing this very typical sight: see http://www.birdtheme.org/country/hongkong.html)

The UK note refers to one area where this species is only a wanderer. The Hong Kong note selects one of many locations where this species is abundant (southern India, Atlantic France amongst others. However in view of the postage stamp issue, I'll stop cutting this, jimfbleak 15:29, 11 June 2006 (UTC)
Nota bene the Dutch page: "in Nederland is het een zeldzame doortrekker, hoewel de soort ook incidenteel in Nederland tot broeden komt, onder andere in 2000 bij Doesburg," i.e., "in the Netherlands it is a rare transient, even though the species occasionally breeds in the Netherlands, among other occasions in 2000 near Doesburg." I don't want to vex you when you're doing a great job with this page and others -- but is the logic re the UK note that the species is a wanderer in an English speaking area and thus this should be specifically mentioned in the English edition? (parallel with the logic of the Dutch edition?). If so, the special spotlight for areas associated with the English language could also shine on Hong Kong.
No, I give the published breeding range, but the only area where I know this species is a non-breeding visitor is the UK. I'm sure there are others. It's not because it's an English speaking country (the situation is different from the example you quote because of the more limited geographical range of Dutch. jimfbleak 12:39, 12 June 2006 (UTC)
You're right, there must be more such areas, but at least no existing Wikipedia page already indicates such a state of affairs -- though in researching this matter I noted in passing that you haven't yet discussed the safety issue adumbrated by the Japanese black kite page (as machine translated by www.worldlingo.com and cleaned up with a bit of educated guesswork):
"Regarding problem [tobi]"
Regarding the kite it is naturally cautious, but the fact is that there is many a thing (it now does) that does not come near its original mode of life. Recently and also in ancient times “by the kite the fried bean curd is carried off”, has been a proverb. When the kite is accustomed to humans, it aims for the opening, springing upon the food which the human has in the hand...This kind of case increasingly has become a problem. Especially, with the River "No Islands" which is in Kanagawa prefecture, you can see a legion of [tobi]; there are many there aiming for the lunch and the hamburger etc. In addition, [tobi] has grown accustomed to humans even in Kamogawa, with children having candy stolen by [tobi]; (in these cases) the damage increases e.g., a wound is made. On the other hand, in Mie prefecture's Owase city, success in forming a feeding relationship with the [tobi] bird has been reported; there is an example where [tobi] has received the fried bean curd everyday from the hand of a person by means of a low altitude flight. But as of May 2006, it is still normal for [tobi] to be a bird with strong natural precaution about humans, and the example of the habit of feeding from the hand of a person forming in a [tobi] that has not been accustomed to the person in the past is unusual."
Just thought you'd like to know.
Interesting, but obviously unusual for this wary species, jimfbleak 06:22, 13 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] live or dead fish?

The article says

Black Kites will take small live prey as well as fish, household refuse and carrion.

Does that mean the fish aren't small? Seems unlikely. Or the fish aren't live prey, that is, they're dead? If so, the sentence should probably be something like, "Black Kites take small live prey as well as household refuse and carrion, including dead fish." If not, maybe "Black Kites take small live prey including fish, as well as household refuse and carrion." (I left out the "will", which seems unnecessary here.) —JerryFriedman (Talk) 15:29, 27 December 2007 (UTC)