Photo: Frank Pierce / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Letter-winged Kite
Elanus scriptus
Letter-winged Kite (Elanus scriptus) — Birds of Prey of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Letter-winged Kite (Elanus scriptus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 316 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Elanus
- Species scriptus
Where it lives
Central NT and northern SA to central QLD and northwestern NSW (central Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 316 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Letter-winged 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 Letter-winged Kite is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Letter-winged Kite (Elanus scriptus) is a member of the Accipitridae family, within the order Accipitriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU c NT and n SA to c QLD and nw NSW (c Australia).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 316 g, with a wing length of about 30.2 cm and a tail of around 14 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 727,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Letter-winged Kite?
The Letter-winged Kite is a large bird that weighs around 316 g.
Where does the Letter-winged Kite live?
The Letter-winged Kite is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU c NT and n SA to c QLD and nw NSW (c Australia), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Letter-winged Kite belong to?
The Letter-winged Kite (Elanus scriptus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Letter-winged Kite eat?
The Letter-winged Kite preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Letter-winged Kite migrate?
The Letter-winged Kite is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Letter-winged Kite endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Letter-winged Kite make?
1 real field recording of the Letter-winged 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 Letter-winged Kite's range?
The Letter-winged Kite has a mapped global range of about 727,000 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.