The American Swallow-tailed Kite is one of our most elegant and agile raptors. In flight, it is unmatched by any other bird of prey as it gracefully twists and turns or soars on thermals with barely flapping its wings. Its long pointed wings, deeply forked tail, and striking black-and-white plumage are unmistakable. Its tail is more deeply forked than any other raptor. Both sexes look alike but the female is generally larger in size. The plumage of immatures are similar to those of the adult.
Formerly, the range of the American Swallow-tailed Kite in North America extended as far north as Wisconsin and Minnesota but today it occurs mostly in the southeast and along the Gulf Coast where it reaches its highest numbers in the southern swamps of Florida. It visits North America only during the breeding season, arriving mostly in early March and departing for its winter home, in South America, in September.
The Swallow-tailed Kite is a medium-sized raptor that is gregarious throughout the year. It may also nest in loose colonies.
SIZE
The American Swallow-tailed Kite is a medium-sized bird of prey. Both sexes appear very similar in size and weight but the female is slightly larger and heavier. Body lengths range between 19 and 25 inches (48 and 62 centimeters). Wingspans range between 47 and 54 inches ( 119 and 136 centimeters). Weights vary between 11 and 18 ounces (325 and 500 grams.
MORPHS
There are no morphs or unusual plumages documented for the American Swallow-tailed Kite.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
Adult - Flight
- striking black-and-white plumage with deeply forked tail, and long, narrow, pointed wings
- white body and wing linings with black flight feathers and tail
- flight silhouette is flat in appearance
- swallow-like in flight
Immature - Flight
- striking black-and-white plumage of adult but tail not as deeply forked and appears shorter than in adult
- wings long, narrow, and pointed
- swallow-like in flight
- indistinct buffy areas on upper breast, head, and nape
SIMILAR SPECIES
The American Swallow-tailed Kite is often confused with the light morph Swainson's Hawk, the White-tailed Hawk, and the light morph Short-tailed Hawk. All three of these species have the same two-toned pattern to the underwing, relatively dark heads, and lack the distinguishing swallow-shaped tail.
OTHER NAMES
The American Swallow-tailed Kite is often referred to as the "Fork-tailed Kite", "Scissor-tailed Kite", or "Snake Kite".
ETYMOLOGY
The genus name Elanoides is derived from the Greek word elanos meaning "a kite", and oideos meaning "resembling". The specific name forficatus is from a Latin term meaning "deeply forked". Therefore, a rough translation would be "a kite resembling (something) deeply forked."
