Easton's Bible Dictionary An unclean and keen-sighted bird of prey (Leviticus 11:14; Deuteronomy 14:13). The Hebrew word used, 'ayet, is rendered "vulture" in Job 28:7 in Authorized Version, "falcon" in Revised Version. It is probably the red kite (Milvus regalis), a bird of piercing sight and of soaring habits found all over Palestine. Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Any raptorial bird of the subfamily Milvinae, of which many species are known. They have long wings, adapted for soaring, and usually a forked tail. 2. (n.) Fig. : One who is rapacious. 3. (n.) A light frame of wood or other material covered with paper or cloth, for flying in the air at the end of a string. 4. (n.) A lofty sail, carried only when the wind is light. 5. (n.) A quadrilateral, one of whose diagonals is an axis of symmetry. 6. (n.) Fictitious commercial paper used for raising money or to sustain credit, as a check which represents no deposit in bank, or a bill of exchange not sanctioned by sale of goods; an accommodation check or bill. 7. (n.) The brill. 8. (v. i.) To raise money by kites; as, kiting transactions. See Kite, 6. 9. (n.) The belly. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia KITE kit ('ayyah; iktinos; Latin Milvus ictinus or regalis): A medium-sized member of the hawk tribe (see HAWK). This bird is 27 inches long, of bright reddish-brown color, has sharply pointed wings and deeply forked tail. It is supposed to have exceptionally piercing eyes. It takes moles, mice, young game birds, snakes and frogs, as well as carrion for food. Its head and facial expression are unusually eagle-like. It was common over Palestine in winter, but bred in the hills of Galilee and rough mountainous places, so it was less conspicuous in summer. It is among the lists of abominations (see Leviticus 11:14 and Deuteronomy 14:13). It is notable that this is the real bird intended by Job to be used as that whose eye could not trace the path to the silver mine: "That path no bird of prey knoweth, Neither hath the falcon's eye seen it" (Job 28:7). The word used here in the original Hebrew is 'ayyah, which was the name for kite. Our first translators used "vulture"; our latest efforts give "falcon," a smaller bird of different markings, not having the kite's reputation for eyesight. Gene Stratton-Porter

Multi-Version Concordance Kite (3 Occurrences) Leviticus 11:14 and the red kite, any kind of black kite, (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Deuteronomy 14:13 and the red kite, and the falcon, and the kite after its kind, (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Job 28:7 A path -- not known it hath a ravenous fowl, Nor scorched it hath an eye of the kite, (YLT)