At the same time a new character was developed for the written language to distinguish this additional meaning of tako. In Edo (present-day Tokyo) squid-shaped kites came to be called tako (octopus), a word that came to mean any kite. Some kites were made in the shape of a squid ( ika), inspired by the most prevalent name for them at the time, ika-nobori (written with characters used for shien, meaning paper hawk). Regional kite-making traditions thrived during the two-and-a-half-century Edo Period (1600 – 1868) that followed, as kite-flying became popular among the growing urban population. Kite-making as a profession began to develop in provincial castle towns at the end of the 16th century. Kites were flown to appease the wishes of the gods and to pray for successful harvests and healthy children, purposes for which they continue to be used today. Kite-flying was a diversion practiced by the nobility during the Heian Period (794 – 1185), but early Japanese kites were used for religious and military purposes as well. Kites were first called shiroshi or shien, referring to the hawk-like bird coincidentally called a kite in English. High-flying, colorful constructions of paper and bamboo, Japanese kites are the products of artist-craftsmen following several centuries of inherited tradition.įirst mentioned in the 10th century dictionary Wamyō Ruijūshō, kites and kite-flying were introduced from China as early as the 8th century. If you pay attention to the tail, noticing that it looks long and trapezoidal shape, you can recognize the Black Kite even from a distance or against the light.Tuesday, May 24 to Sunday, October 2, 2011 White patches on its underwing are another unique feature, but its most distinguishing feature is its tail.
As far as English names of birds go, a bird may be called by a certain name in Britain but by a different one in the United States, and in Japan it occasionally happens that a bird's English name is changed (“Tancho” was changed from Japanese Crane to Red-crowned Crane).Ī notable characteristic of the Black Kite is the color of its upper plumage it is a darker brown compared to other hawks. “Tobi” is used in textbooks and in bird guides because in Japan the species name used by the Ornithological Society of Japan is the standard in such scientific materials. In Japan people call the Black Kite “Tobi” or “Tombi,” and neither is wrong. This is in part related to its quite a few population and flocking nature however, Black Kites mostly scavenge dying or dead prey, which is the reason why the bird is seen as being lower in rank than other hawks in Japan.Įach living creature has a name other than its scientific name, which is common all over the world. It has some easily noticeable features, such as its larger size (other hawks and falcons are ordinarily the same size as or smaller than crows), its slower flight speed, and its frequent circling. Among hawks, the Black Kite is the most common and the easiest to recognize. Hawks can be identified by how they often glide in the sky and have a different way of flapping their wings than crows, which flap widely and slowly.
To find them you would do well to take note of crows. The most familiar hawk Why is the Black Kite looked down on even though it is a hawk?īesides their small population, hawks are very cautious and often fly high in the sky.
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