Swallow-tailed Kite

Elanoides forficatusOrder: FALCONIFORMES Family: Kites, Eagles and Hawks (Accipitridae)

Codes: Common Name: STKI Scientific Name: ELAFOR ITIS Taxonomic No.: 175289

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Overview

Swallow-tailed Kite: The largest of North America kites, has black upperparts which contrast with white head and underparts. In flight it shows long pointed wings with black flight feathers and white wing linings. Has a 15-16 inch-long black tail with deep fork. The neck, breast and belly are white.

Range and Habitat

Swallow-tailed Kite: Breeds mainly on or near coasts from Texas east to Florida, and north to South Carolina; local farther inland in Gulf states. Winters in American tropics. Also breeds in tropics. Inhabits swamps, marshes, river bottoms, and glades in open forests.

Topo Map: Hawk-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"ee-ee-ee", "pee-pee-pee", "klee-klee-klee", "peat, peat, peat"

Interesting Facts

The Swallow-tailed Kite is perhaps the most adept and acrobatic flier of all the raptors.

The scientific name comes from a Latin-Greek hybridization of the words elanus, meaning a kite; eidos, meaning to resemble or be similar to; and forfex, for scissors, which refers to the forked tail.

In some nests two eggs are laid, but the first chick that hatches kills the younger chick. Ornithologists refer to this as obligate siblicide.

A group of kites has many collective nouns, including a "brood", "kettle", "roost", "stooping", and "string" of kites.

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

Related Birds

Mississippi Kite
Northern Harrier
White-tailed Kite
Osprey
Magnificent Frigatebird
Snail Kite

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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 forbidden.

Swallow-tailed Kite

● Song: "ee-ee-ee", "pee-pee-pee", "klee-klee-klee", "peat, peat, peat"

● Foraging & Feeding: Swallow-tailed Kite: This bird feeds on insects such as bees, dragonflies, crickets, cicadas, and beetles. Also consumes small snakes, lizards, frogs, and small birds, which are often taken from the treetops. All prey are captured with feet while in flight by gleaning from surface of vegetation, reaching within or underneath foliage, or snatching flying insects with barely perceptible strikes of the feet. Adults eat food while flying.

● Breeding & nesting: Swallow-tailed Kite: Two to three white eggs with brown and lavender markings, often concentrated at the large end, are laid in a nest of sticks, twigs, moss, and pine needles. Nest is built by both sexes and placed in the treetop, 60-130 feet above ground, concealed by thick foliage. Nest is lined with leaves and lichen. Incubation ranges from 24 to 28 days and is carried out by both sexes. These birds have one brood per year.

● Similar species: Swallow-tailed Kite: Mississippi Kite is similar but has a slightly notched black tail and gray underparts and head.

Flight Pattern

Soars on thermals and updrafts., Buoyant flight with deep slow wing beats and glides.

● Range & Habitat: Swallow-tailed Kite: Breeds mainly on or near coasts from Texas east to Florida, and north to South Carolina; local farther inland in Gulf states. Winters in American tropics. Also breeds in tropics. Inhabits swamps, marshes, river bottoms, and glades in open forests.

^BreedingMonogamous

^Population

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight15.6 Ounces

Hawk-like Body

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Belly

The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Flight feathers

Located on the wing, and collectively called remiges (singular, remex). The long stiff feathers are subdivided into two major groups based on the location and are called primaries and secondaries.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America