![]() and Central American populations winter in South America, where they are resident year round. Their breeding range is from the southeastern United States to eastern Peru and northern Argentina. They are also found throughout Central America and tropical South America. The Swallow-tailed Kite once ranged as far north as Minnesota and Oklahoma, but due mainly to habitat loss because of changes in land use, its range is now primarily restricted to the southeastern United States and parts of Texas. The American Swallow-tailed Kite is most easily identified by it's large forked tail. ![]() The current accepted common name American Swallow-tailed Kite is meant to distinguish it from its smaller cousin the African Swallow-tailed Kite (or Scissor-tailed Kite), Chelictinia riocourii. Other common names previously used include Fork-tailed Kite, Swallow-tailed Hawk, and Scissor-tailed Kite. The scientific name, Elanoides forficatus, is a Latin-Greek hybridization of elanus (meaning kite) and eidos (meaning “to resemble”) and forfex (meaning scissors). It has a large forked tail giving it its name. The flight feathers and tail are all black with most of the rest of the bird being white. Its colors are a contrasting deep black and bright white, with some of the black feathers showing some iridescence. It measures 19 to 26 inches (48 to 66 cm) with a wingspan of around 48 inches (122 cm) and weighs about 1 pound (17 oz). The American Swallow-tailed Kite is a raptor belonging to the elanid family of Kites. ![]() I spend the next couple of years learning everything I could about this bird and how to best photograph it. I had never before seen such grace and beauty in the flight of a bird. While stopping at the visitor’s center at Flamingo, I saw my first Kite performing aerial acrobatics above the trees across the parking lot. I first became enamored with the American Swallow-tailed Kite during a trip to Everglades National Park in April of 2004. Home News and Events Photo Pool Discussion Photo Contest About Us ![]()
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