Birds
Swallow-Tailed Kite
Elanoides forficatus · also called swallow-tailed kites
A swallow-tailed kite banks sharply above a wetland treeline, its deeply forked tail carving a tight turn as it snatches a dragonfly straight out of the air without ever slowing down. It will eat this meal, and likely most of its others today, entirely without landing.
Overview
The swallow-tailed kite, Elanoides forficatus, is a graceful raptor that breeds across parts of the southeastern United States and Central America, migrating to South America outside the breeding season. Its deeply forked tail and almost entirely airborne feeding style set it apart from most other birds of prey.
A life lived mostly in the air
Few raptors commit as fully to feeding on the wing as the swallow-tailed kite, which snatches, eats, and even drinks without landing, a lifestyle made possible by a tail shape built specifically for constant, precise aerial control.
Status
Least Concern — partially recovered in the southeastern United States after a significant historical range contraction, with more broadly stable populations across Central and South America.
Swallow-Tailed Kite: common questions
Why does the swallow-tailed kite have such a distinctive tail?
A swallow-tailed kite has a long, deeply forked tail resembling that of a swallow, a feature that gives the species its common name and provides exceptional aerial manoeuvrability, allowing sharp turns and sudden changes in direction while pursuing fast-moving flying insects and other prey.
Does the swallow-tailed kite really eat while flying?
Yes, a swallow-tailed kite performs the vast majority of its feeding activity in flight, snatching insects and small prey directly from vegetation or the air without landing, and it is even capable of drinking water by skimming the surface of a pond or lake while remaining airborne.
How far does the swallow-tailed kite migrate?
Swallow-tailed kites that breed in the southeastern United States undertake a long annual migration to wintering grounds in South America, covering a substantial distance twice each year, a demanding journey that reflects the species' strong reliance on warm-climate insect prey availability.
Where does the swallow-tailed kite build its nest?
A swallow-tailed kite typically builds its nest high in the canopy of tall trees near wetland or riverine habitat, often within the southeastern United States or Central America during the breeding season, and it frequently returns to favoured nesting areas across multiple years.