Scissor-tailed Kite (Chelictinia riocourii)
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Scissor-tailed Kite

Chelictinia riocourii (Temminck, 1821)

110 gWeight

The scissor-tailed kite (Chelictinia riocourii), also known commonly as the African swallow-tailed kite and the fork-tailed kite, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.

Busiest months: February–March · Most records: Ethiopia, Kenya, Cameroon

Vulnerable

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: February–March · Most records: Ethiopia, Kenya, Cameroon

Scissor-tailed Kite has been recorded at 43 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 11 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Waza NPCameroon43 records
  2. Aledeghi Wildlife ReserveEthiopia36 records
  3. Awash NPEthiopia19 records
More places
  1. Lake Nakuru NPKenya13 records
  2. Hotel Le Relais, KaolackSenegal11 records
  3. Awash NP – southern sectionEthiopia11 records
  4. Samburu NRKenya10 records
  5. W National ParkNiger8 records
  6. Meru NPKenya8 records
  7. Buffalo Springs NRKenya8 records

Countries and regions with the most records

EthiopiaKenyaCameroonSenegalNigerUgandaBurkina FasoMali

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 scissor-tailed kite (Chelictinia riocourii), also known commonly as the African swallow-tailed kite and the fork-tailed kite, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is the only species placed in the genus Chelictinia. It is widespread in the northern tropics of Africa.

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

Questions

How big is the Scissor-tailed Kite?

The Scissor-tailed Kite weighs around 110 g.

Where does the Scissor-tailed Kite live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Senegal and Gambia to Somalia and northeastern Kenya. It is most often recorded in Ethiopia, Kenya and Cameroon.

When is the best time to see the Scissor-tailed Kite?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in February and March (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Scissor-tailed Kite endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Scissor-tailed Kite as Vulnerable.

What does the Scissor-tailed Kite eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Scissor-tailed Kite in?

It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.

At a glance

Weight
110 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Vulnerable
More measurements
Wing
240 mm
Tail
192 mm
Bill
18 mm
Tarsus
28 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: Senegal and Gambia to Somalia and northeastern Kenya

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
Genus
Chelictinia

More from the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Pearl KitePearl KiteGampsonyx swainsoniiWhite-tailed KiteWhite-tailed KiteElanus leucurusBlack-winged KiteBlack-winged KiteElanus caeruleusBlack-shouldered KiteBlack-shouldered KiteElanus axillarisLetter-winged KiteLetter-winged KiteElanus scriptusAfrican Harrier-HawkAfrican Harrier-HawkPolyboroides typusMadagascar Harrier-HawkMadagascar Harrier-HawkPolyboroides radiatusPalm-nut VulturePalm-nut VultureGypohierax angolensisBearded VultureBearded VultureGypaetus barbatusEgyptian VultureEgyptian VultureNeophron percnopterus
Scissor-tailed Kite

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Iggino. ↗

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