Swallow-tailed kite

The species is 55 to 65 cm in length, with a wingspan of approximately 1.3 m . Male and female individuals appear similar. The body is a contrasting deep black and white. The flight feathers, tail, feet, bill are all black. Another characteristic is the forked tail, hence the name swallow-tailed.

The Swallow-tailed kite is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) is an elanid kite which breeds from the southeastern United States to eastern Peru and northern Argentina. Most North and Central American breeders winter in South America where the species is resident year round. It was formerly named Falco forficatus. Contents - * 1 Physical description * 2 Habitat and behavior * 2. More

Swallow-tailed KiteMany visiting birders to southeast Texas have requested information for locating swallow-tailed kites. Other than a chance fly-over on the coast during migration, the best places to look for this elegant bird from late March through July are in Liberty, Liberty County. More

The Swallow-tailed Kite has a large range, estimated at 12,000,000 square kilometers. Native to the Americas and nearby island nations, this bird prefers subtropical or tropical forest ecosystems. The global population of this bird is estimated at 100,000 to 1,000,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Swallow-tailed Kite is Least Concern. More

Appearance: The Swallow-tailed Kite is a large but light raptor, weighing only 15 ounces on average and measuring 22 inches long with a 51 inch wingspan. Most often seen in flight, it sports a long, forked tail and long, narrow wings. It appears small-headed. At all times of year, the adults are black and white. The head, neck, lower body, and underwing linings are white. The eye, small bill, upper body, upper wing, and tail are black. More

Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation Priority Review the WatchList criteria used by Partners in Flight (a coalition of state, federal, and private sector conservationists working together to protect the birds of the western hemisphere) to determine the conservation priority of this species. Swallow-tailed Kite Species Information including identification, range & habitat, reproduction and diet from the Audubon Adopt-a-Bird website. Swallow-tailed Kites of the Aucilla Read about kites that nest along the Aucilla River near Tallahassee, Florida. More

Reproduction: The Swallow-tailed Kite nests in the upper branches of tall trees, typically 60-100 feet above the ground. This bird builds a nest of twigs often lined with Spanish moss. The clutch usually consists of 2-4 creamy-white eggs, boldly marked with brown. It is unknown whether both parents participate in the 21-24 day incubation, but both do feed the young. Diet: This kite will take lizards, frogs, snakes, large insects, and small birds. More

Swallow-tailed Kite Range MapView dynamic map of eBird sightings Field MarksHelp - * AdultPopOutZoom In Adult * © 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Indian Lakes, Florida Similar Species - * Magnificent Frigatebird has long wings and forked tail, but does not have white wing linings or body, is larger, and is found over More

Young Swallow-tailed Kites are duller in color than the adults, and the tail is not as deeply forked. Habitat and behavior - Swallow-tailed Kites inhabit mostly woodland and forested wetlands near nesting locations. Nests are built in trees, usually near water. Both male and female participate in building the nest. Sometimes a high-pitched chirp is emitted, though the birds mostly remain silent. More

Swallow-tailed kite chick calling, with egg in nest© Rick Gerhardt Swallow-tailed kite feeding chick a small green iguana© Michael Wolf / www.FloridaNaturePhotography. More

The Swallow-tailed Kite is the most aerial of our birds of prey. It catches much of its insect food on the wing, snatches lizards from the trunks of trees, eats what it has caught while flying, drinks by skimming the surface of ponds and marshes, and even gathers nesting material by breaking dead twigs from the tops of trees as it flies past. More

Swallow-tailed Kites are considered endangered or threatened in the United States. Destruction of habitats is chiefly responsible for the decline in numbers. A key conservation area is the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Copyright: Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia. More

Swallow-tailed Kite determination Similar species Accipitridae Black Kite | Black Vulture | Black-Shouldered Kite | Bonellis Eagle | Booted Eagle | Buzzard | Egyptian Vulture | Golden Eagle | Greater Spotted Eagle | Griffon | Honey-Buzzard | Imperial Eagle | Lammergeier | Lappet-faced Vulture | Lesser Spotted Eagle | Levant Sparrowhawk | Long-Legged Buzzard | More

Swallow-tailed Kite determination Similar species Accipitridae Bicolored Hawk | Black Hawk-Eagle | Black-and-White Hawk-Eagle | Black-collared Hawk | Black-faced Hawk | Crane Hawk | Crested Eagle | Double-toothed Kite | Great Black Hawk | Grey Hawk | Grey-bellied Hawk | Grey-headed Kite | Harpy Eagle | Hook-billed Kite | Long-winged Harrier | Ornate Hawk-Eagle | Osprey | Pearl Kite | Plumbeous Kite More

Bent Life History for the Swallow-tailed Kite - the common name and sub-species reflect the nomenclature in use at the time the description was written. SWALLOW-TAILED KITE ELANOIDES FORFICATUS FORFICATUS (Linnaeus) HABITS This elegant bird seems to have largely withdrawn from its former wide range in North America and is now confined, in this country, mainly, if not wholly, to Florida and perhaps the other Gulf States. More

of Swallow-tailed Kites were seen at a traditional Mississippi Kite spot in Johnston County along Richardson Bridge Rd (NC 1201) about a mile south of Brogden Rd. For the past few summers there have been sightings along the lower Cape Fear River, notably the area of Lock and Dam 1 in Bladen County. In South Carolina, Swallow-tailed Kites are more widespread, though endangered. The International Center for Birds of Prey collects sightings online. More

Swallow-tailed Kites are commonly seen in wet areas, such as swamps, marshes, river bottoms, and open forests (fields, clear-cuts, and cutovers). Twig nests are often built at the tops of very tall trees. Kites roost and forage throughout Georgia, but breeding is restricted to the Coastal Plain. DNR Swallow-tailed Kite Program Coordinator Diana Swan can be contacted at 912/265-9336 x21. Her fax number is 912/265-1061 and she can be reached at DSwan@dnr.state.ga.us. More

swallow-tailed kite, an endangered-species in South Carolina and considered a species of highest conservation concern throughout its breeding range in North America. Help the South Carolina Working Group for Swallow-tailed Kites monitor swallow-tailed kite distribution, identify important nesting and foraging areas, and promote conservation of this important species and their habitats by reporting sightings this spring and summer and contributing to the Citizen-Science for Swallow-tailed Kite database. More

The swallow-tailed kite has a long, forked tail that makes it one of the easiest birds to recognize when it swoops overhead. And swoop it does — these kites are graceful fliers. Head out to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary or Big Cypress National Preserve and you’ll probably see them flying overhead hunting and eating on the wing, or you might also spot one flying over a high-traffic city street. I saw one recently swooping over Goodlette-Frank Road in downtown Naples. More

The swallow-tailed kite is a graceful raptor with a seemingly effortless soaring ability, making it a favorite among birder-watchers. March to September is the optimum time to spot a swallow-tailed kite in the Southeastern U.S. The kite leaves its wintering habitat in northern South America, taking various migration routes – either over the Gulf of Mexico or around the Gulf through Central America and Mexico. More

Swallow-tailed Kite: these birds are known for their mid-air acrobatics and eating on the wing. Their to-go menu includes lizards, snakes, nestlings, and bats plucked from trees and flying insects they nab in mid-air. To drink, they skim the surface of lakes and rivers, collecting water in their bills. Adults have long, deeply-forked tails and distinctive black and white plumage. With bodies nearly two feet long, their wing span reaches four feet. More

Swallow-tailed Kite - Fort Washington State Park, Montgomery County; September 1, 2009. Photos by Devich Farbotnik. This unmistakeable bird was seen flying over the Militia Hill hawkwatch. Here, the bird is eating a dragonfly. - Swallow-tailed Kite - Presque Isle, Erie County; April 21, 2009. Photos by Jerry McWilliams. This bird was seen circling over the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. More

Watching the American Swallow-tailed Kite soar through the sky is an impressive sight to see. It puts on an aerial ballet as it swoops and twists over the wetlands and marshes of the Southern United States. The Swallow-tailed Kite is listed as a bird of prey, but its prey is predominantly insects, butterflies, and lizards. Although the Swallow-tailed Kite is not listed as endangered, it is a rare sight. More

* Swallow-tailed Kite Interest, Description and Location * Nesting Records in Texas * Citizen-Science Watch '99 * Posting for Watch Volunteers * Participant Sites in the Watch * Watch Sites Map * Selected Reading * Kite Sightings Data and Observations More

The swallow-tailed kite: Graceful raptors of our wetlands Photo courtesy of Steve Matherly. Photo courtesy of Steve Matherly. Florida’s birding trail symbol is often spotted gliding around Walton County - FWC report The swallow-tailed kite is a snack-food junkie if ever there was one. It spends most of the day aloft, eating on the run – catching bugs and eating them in one swoop, then circling and diving to devour another. More

Swallow-tailed kites are almost always seen in the air. If you are lucky enough to be able to watch one for any length of time you will notice them swoop to pluck an insect out of the sky or a fledgling bird from a nest, and then eat the meal while flying. Swallow-tail kites feed entirely on the wing, primarily on insects, lizards, frogs, snakes and small birds. More