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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Helen O" data-source="post: 1270937" data-attributes="member: 65044">My first instinct is to say black - check out the dark eye surround, this is yellow in red kites. (it appears to me to be dark, although photographs can be misleading).  There is also an obvious lack of a white panel on the underwings.  Although young red kites have a less distinguished forked tail, the black kite does too, as well as it being shorter than a red kite tail.Red Kite's head colour can vary from pale grey to almost white.  A red kite  can also vary from dull brown to rufous, depending on the light. I have attached a few images of red kites for comparison The first and second image of a tagged kite is a 2nd CY kite.  Note the 'washed out' appearance of the plumage, compared to the deep rufous tones of adults (see fourth image)The third image is an approx. 6/7 week old red kite, taken when I was looking after 14 (!) of them prior to translocation to Aberdeen.  Note how dark grey the eyes are initially. This gradually changes to yellow.</blockquote>