White-tailed Kite

Elanus leucurus

Order

FALCONIFORMES

Family

Kites, Eagles and Hawks (Accipitridae)

Code 4

WTKI

Code 6

ELALEU

ITIS

HEAD

Bill Shape: Hooked
Eye Color: Brown in juveniles and red in adults. Color changes at about 6 months.
Head Pattern: Plain, Eyering
Crown Color: White
Forehead Color: White
Nape Color: White
Throat Color: White
Cere color: Yellow

BODY

Length Range: 38-43 cm (15-17 in)
Weight: 340 g (12 oz)
Size: 4. Large (16 - 32 in)
Color Primary: White, Gray
Underparts: White
Upperparts: Gray
Back Pattern: Solid
Belly Pattern: Solid
Breast Pattern: Solid

FLIGHT

Flight Pattern: Slow measured deep wing beats., Soars on thermals and updrafts.
Wingspan Range: 102-107 cm (40-42 in)
Wing Shape: Pointed-Wings
Tail Shape: Notched Tail
Tail Pattern: Solid White
Upper Tail: White with gray central feather.
Under Tail: White
Leg Color: Yellow

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden2.

Field Guide to Birds of North America