Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 19.7–25.2 in
50–64 cm - Wingspan
- 48 in
122 cm - Weight
- 13.1–21.2 oz
370–600 g
Other Names
- Le Milan de la Caroline, Milan à queue fourchue (French)
- Gavilan tijereta, Gavilan cola de tijera (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The Swallow-tailed Kite rarely flap its wings while flying, but it almost continuously rotates its tail, often to nearly 90 degrees, in order to hold a heading, make a sharp turn, or trace tight circles while drifting across the sky.
- The Swallow-tailed Kite frequently eats while flying.
Habitat
Forest
Forested regions, often bottomland, or riverine forest, also open pine woodland.
Food
Insects
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless and covered in down.
Nest Placement
Tree
Behavior
Flycatching
Conservation
Least Concern
Population in United States appears stable.
Credits
- Meyer, K. D. 1995. Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus). In The Birds of North America, No. 138 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.