Kite, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

The kite, known as Milvus, earns its name from its graceful, effortless flight. Soaring high above the clouds with its wings outstretched, it surveys the earth for carrion or other prey. This bird is highly predatory and can be aggressive towards both domestic birds and its own nestlings. It also produces a range of distinct calls. Symbolically, the kite represents those who, despite appearing spiritually focused, are driven by earthly desires. In Leviticus, the kite is listed among the unclean birds. The lesson here is clear: one should not emulate the contemplatives who, despite their lofty ambitions, are consumed by worldly pursuits.

Kites were often used to symbolise greed or avarice. Their predatory nature and scavenging habits made them an apt metaphor for excessive desire and the voracious pursuit of material gain. Their graceful and effortless flight contrasted with their rapacious nature served as a reminder of the deceptive appearances in life. It symbolised those who may seem pious or lofty but are actually motivated by earthly desires

Muus ; a mollicie volandi dicitur. Inmobi- non in alio
li enim penna; super altitudinem nubium fer-
tur; super terram respiciens. ut cadaver aliquod
vel aliquid tale in predam rapiat. Avis rapa-
cissima et domesticus avibus et pullis infesta.
modulos varios; voce formans. blank ec avis sig-

The kite, milvus, is called so, for its flight is soft. It glides above the height of the clouds with its wings held in a fixed position and looks down upon the earth, so that it might seize some carrion or similar prey. It is a very rapacious bird and is hostile to both domestic birds and its own nestlings. It makes various modulations of its call. This bird

nificat rapaces quorum lectio est in celestibus vita in
terrenis. Unde in levitico inter inmundas aves
que commedi non debent; reputatur. Contempla-
turum enim qui terrena cupit; nemo imitari de-
bet.

symbolises the rapacious, whose reading and studying are in the heavens but whose life is on earth. Hence, in Leviticus, it is enumerated among the unclean birds that should not be eaten. No one should imitate the contemplatives who long for earthly things.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Kite, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast544.htm

Mynott, J, Birds in the Ancient World (New York: Oxford University Press 2018)

Josh Goldenberg (BA 2012) and Matt Shanahan (BA 2014), Logeion, November 2022, https://logeion.uchicago.edu/

Castiglioni, L. and Mariotti, S. (1996). Vocabolario della Lingua Latina: Latino-Italiano Italiano-Latino. Terza Edizione. Loescher Torino

Curley, M. J., Physiologus: A Medieval Book of Nature Lore (University of Chicago edition 2009)

Rackham, H., M.A., Pliny Natural History Volume III, Libri VIII-XI (London: William Heinemann Ltd, 1949)

Collins, A. H., M.A., Symbolism of Animals and Birds (New York: McBride, Nast & Company, 1913)

Henderson, C., The Book of Barely Imagined Beings (London: University of Chicago Press, 2013)

White, T. H., The Bestiary: A Book of Beasts (New York: G.P Putnam’s Sons, 1960)

Matthews, J. and Matthews C., The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A-Z of fantastic beings from myth and magic (London: HarperElement, 2005)

Barney, S. A., Lewis, W. J., Beach A., Berghof O., The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006)

Endnotes

[1] The word muus does not exist in Latin. There is a word, mūs, but it means mouse. The word muus is most probably a transcription mistake. The word is likely to be milvus, kite.