Swallow-tailed Kite
Elanoides forficatus

Identification: A graceful bird of prey, 22-24 inches in length with a wingspread reaching 50 inches. The back, rump, wings, and deeply-forked tail are blackish in color; head and underparts, including the small feathers on the underside of the wing, are white. Eye color varies from dark brown to red.

Range & Habitat: The breeding range includes the east Gulf coast, most of Florida, and along the south Atlantic coast as far north as South Carolina. Individuals have been sighted on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and along the Texas coast. Swallow-tails prefer to breed in areas near water, marshes, swamps and along river courses or lakes. A frequent nesting spot in Florida is the Everglades National Park. Outside of breeding season, the birds wander as far west as Colorado and north to Minnesota, New York and south Canada, and have been recorded casually in the Southwest. The entire population leaves the United States in the fall to winter in South America, returning in early March to breeding areas, occasionally as early as February in Florida.

Reproduction: The Swallow-tailed Kite nests in the upper branches of tall trees, typically 60-100 feet above the ground. This bird builds a nest of twigs often lined with Spanish moss. The clutch usually consists of 2-4 creamy-white eggs, boldly marked with brown. It is unknown whether both parents participate in the 21-24 day incubation, but both do feed the young.

Diet: This kite will take lizards, frogs, snakes, large insects, and small birds. The Swallow-tail catches much of its prey on the wing, eats its catch while flying by bending its head and neck under its body to reach the prey held in its foot, and drinks by skimming the surface of ponds and marshes.

Remarks: Spotting a Swallow-tailed Kite in flight is a wonderful experience for the seasoned naturalist or budding bird-watcher. This bird is the picture of grace, floating on outstretched wings several feet above the treetops or low over the ground, its tail in constant motion, balancing on air currents.