Bird Album
Square-tailed Kite
Lophoictinia isura (Gould, 1838)
579 gWeight
The square-tailed kite (Lophoictinia isura) is a medium-sized bird of prey native to Australia.
Busiest months: September–November · Most records: Australia
Where and when it's recorded
Square-tailed Kite has been recorded at 132 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Lake Samsonvale – Golds Scrub LaneAustralia277 records
- Bowra Wildlife SanctuaryAustralia166 records
- Lake Samsonvale – Postmans TrackAustralia132 records
More places
- Victoria Dam – Access road, track and picnic areaAustralia130 records
- SpringwoodAustralia70 records
- Crusoe Reservoir and No. 7 ParkAustralia65 records
- Hasties Swamp National ParkAustralia62 records
- Partridge CreekAustralia50 records
- Whites Hill ReserveAustralia47 records
- Anstead Bushland ReserveAustralia45 records
Countries and regions with the most records
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 square-tailed kite (Lophoictinia isura) is a medium-sized bird of prey native to Australia. It is in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles and harriers.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Square-tailed Kite?
The Square-tailed Kite weighs around 579 g.
Where does the Square-tailed Kite live?
Its breeding range: Australasia: Australia (except south-central, Tasmania). It is most often recorded in Australia.
When is the best time to see the Square-tailed Kite?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in September, October and November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Square-tailed Kite endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Square-tailed Kite as Least Concern.
What does the Square-tailed Kite eat?
Main food: Vertebrate prey.
What family is the Square-tailed Kite in?
It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.
At a glance
- Weight
- 579 g
- Habitat
- Forest
- Diet
- Vertebrate prey
- Lifestyle
- Feeds in the air
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 471 mm
- Tail
- 224 mm
- Bill
- 45 mm
- Tarsus
- 72 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Australasia: Australia (except south-central, Tasmania)
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
- Genus
- Lophoictinia
More from the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Pearl KiteGampsonyx swainsonii
Scissor-tailed KiteChelictinia riocourii
White-tailed KiteElanus leucurus
Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
Black-shouldered KiteElanus axillaris
Letter-winged KiteElanus scriptus
African Harrier-HawkPolyboroides typus
Madagascar Harrier-HawkPolyboroides radiatus
Palm-nut VultureGypohierax angolensis
Bearded VultureGypaetus barbatus
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from reference photos. ↗
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