Swallow-tailed Kite

Elanoides forficatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

416 gWeight

The swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus) is a pernine raptor which breeds from the southeastern United States to eastern Peru and northern Argentina.

Busiest months: March · Most records: United States, Costa Rica, Ecuador

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Swallow-tailed Kite has been recorded at 879 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 31 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Audubon Corkscrew Swamp SanctuaryUnited States6,488 records
Wilson Botanical GardenCosta Rica2,497 records
WildSumaco LodgeEcuador2,359 records

More places

Caw Caw Interpretive CenterUnited States2,093 records
Mead Botanical GardensUnited States1,814 records
Refugio Paz de las AvesEcuador1,661 records
Lake Apopka Wildlife DriveUnited States1,659 records
Harns MarshUnited States1,339 records
Arenal MisticoparkCosta Rica1,244 records
Rio Silanche Bird SanctuaryEcuador1,232 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United States Costa Rica Ecuador Colombia Brazil Panama Peru Mexico

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 swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus) is a pernine raptor which breeds from the southeastern United States to eastern Peru and northern Argentina. It is the only species in the genus Elanoides. Most North and Central American breeders winter in South America where the species is resident year round.

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

Questions

How big is the Swallow-tailed Kite?

The Swallow-tailed Kite weighs around 416 g.

Where does the Swallow-tailed Kite live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America, South America: southern USA to northeastern Argentina. It is most often recorded in United States, Costa Rica and Ecuador.