Letter-winged Kite

Elanus scriptus Gould, 1842

316 gWeight

The letter-winged kite (Elanus scriptus) is a small, rare and irruptive bird of prey that is found only in Australia.

Most records: Australia

Near Threatened

Where and when it's recorded

Most records: Australia

Letter-winged Kite has been recorded at 4 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Roebuck Plains StationAustralia11 records
Western Treatment PlantAustralia2 records
Terrick Terrick National ParkAustralia1 record

More places

Fogg Dam Conservation ReserveAustralia1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

Australia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The letter-winged kite (Elanus scriptus) is a small, rare and irruptive bird of prey that is found only in Australia. Measuring around 35 cm (14 in) in length with a wingspan of 84–100 cm (33–39 in), the adult letter-winged kite has predominantly pale grey and white plumage and prominent black rings around its red eyes. Its name derives from its highly distinctive black underwing pattern of a shallow 'M' or 'W' shape, visible when in flight.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Letter-winged Kite?

The Letter-winged Kite weighs around 316 g.

Where does the Letter-winged Kite live?

Its breeding range: Australasia: central Northern Territory and northern South Australia to central Queensland and northwestern New South Wales (central Australia). It is most often recorded in Australia.