Photo: Frankzed from Melbourne, Australia / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-shouldered Kite
Elanus axillaris
Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) — Birds of Prey of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 270 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Elanus
- Species axillaris
Quick facts
- Weight
- 270 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-shouldered Kite preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Black-shouldered Kite is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) is a member of the Accipitridae family, within the order Accipitriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Australia (except Tasmania).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 270 g, with a wing length of about 28.8 cm and a tail of around 13.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-shouldered Kite?
The Black-shouldered Kite is a large bird that weighs around 270 g.
Where does the Black-shouldered Kite live?
The Black-shouldered Kite is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Australia (except Tasmania), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Black-shouldered Kite belong to?
The Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Black-shouldered Kite eat?
The Black-shouldered Kite preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Black-shouldered Kite migrate?
The Black-shouldered Kite is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Black-shouldered Kite endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black-shouldered Kite make?
1 real field recording of the Black-shouldered Kite — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-shouldered Kite's range?
The Black-shouldered Kite has a mapped global range of about 7.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.