Black Kite (Parrot-billed Kite, European Black Kite)

The Black Kite is a medium-sized bird of prey with a relatively long, angled wing and a characteristic slightly forked or notched tail. Plumage is predominantly dark brown with paler head and underparts. Known for its opportunistic feeding habits, soaring flight, and scavenging nature.

Dark brownish-black to dark greyish-brown coloration, with subtle darker barring or mottling near the lighter greyish base of the inner web, featuring a robust off-white to pale yellowish rachis.

Tightly interlocked (pennaceous) along the vanes with strong hooklets (barbicels) providing aerodynamic resistance, showing a small amount of fluffy plumulaceous down near the extreme base of the calamus.

Central shaft is thick, sturdy, pale ivory to yellowish-white in color, grooved on the ventral side, and resiliently flexible, with dense, finely angled dark barbs extending outward.

Smooth, firm, and matte to slightly silky in texture, with high rigidity along the outer vane and a flexible trailing edge to allow silent, efficient air venting during flight.

Wing primary flight feather, determined by its overall robust yet slightly flexible structure, asymmetrical vane width, and curved aerodynamic profile.

Dark brown-to-black coloration, robust pale ivory rachis, size substantially larger than a corvid feather, and slight asymmetry typical of a raptor wing feather.

Found near wetlands, rivers, lakes, open woodlands, agricultural areas, and sometimes rubbish dumps or semi-desert margins across varied elevations.

Widespread summer breeding visitor across much of Europe, Asia, and Africa, with populations in Spain (including Aragon) serving as important strongholds for the western migratory populations.

Acts as an important scavenger and opportunistic predator, helping to clean up carrion and regulate small mammal, reptile, and insect populations in its ecosystem.

Red Kite (Milvus milvus), which features more rufous-red coloration and prominent white patches under the wing tips, and Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), which has more heavily barred and rounded tail/flight feathers.

Black Kites are known to deliberately pick up and carry burning sticks from wildfires to flush out prey in grasslands, a behavior known as fire-foraging. They are also among the world's most numerous birds of prey.

Historically protected under modern wildlife laws, raptor feathers like those of kites were occasionally used in traditional crafts or falconry contexts, though strict regulations now prevent such use.

Look near water bodies, open fields, rubbish tips, and known roosting trees in Spain during spring and summer; check the ground for molted flight feathers dropped during the breeding and post-breeding seasons.

Good condition, showing clean edges, minimal wear at the tip, and intact barbs with no major sun bleaching or parasitic damage.

Twice the size of a crow feather, found in Arag ón, Spain