The white-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus) is a small raptor found in western North America and parts of South America. It replaces the related Old World black-winged kite in its native range.

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.

A largely pale raptor easily identified by its entirely white tail and black shoulder patches. Note the white head and red eyes (visible at close range). Sexes are similar.

Mississippi Kites are slender, fairly small raptors with long, pointed wings. The tail is fairly long and square-tipped. The strongly hooked bill is small and delicate. Larger than a Rock Pigeon; smaller than a Peregrine Falcon.

These sleek, pearly gray raptors often hunt together and nest colonially in stands of trees, from windbreaks on southern prairies to old-growth bottomlands in the Southeast (and even on city parks and golf courses). After rearing their chicks they fly all the way to …

The Mississippi Kite is a fairly small raptor species native to the United States. Known for their elegant looks, especially on the flight, they are often seen gliding in a small group through the air in a particular area.

Highlighted below are four selections from our Collection of bird kites, each a different type of raptor. If you have a bird kite, let it soar and be reminded of birds’ importance to the health of our ecosystem.

Across their restricted range, White-tailed Kites prefer open country. They hunt grasslands, savanna, roadsides, and agricultural areas and are surprisingly more regular in suburban settings than most raptors. They often form large winter roosts (dozens of …

Nov 14, 2023 · The white-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus) is a medium-sized raptor found in open grasslands, savannas, and wetlands throughout much of the Americas. Known for its distinctive white tail and hovering flight, this elegant bird of prey was once rare and declining across much of its range, leading to heightened conservation interest.

1 day ago · A white-and-black, mid-sized raptor with a deeply forked tail, swallow-tailed kites (Elanoides forficatus) are arguably the most acrobatic and athletic of birds found in the Sunshine State. And ...