Photo: Stephen Temple from Cape Town, South Africa / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-winged Kite
Elanus caeruleus
Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) — Birds of Prey of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Africa, Australia & Oceania and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 260 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 caeruleus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 260 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-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 Black-winged Kite is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) is a member of the Accipitridae family, within the order Accipitriformes. Its range spans Africa, Australia & Oceania and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF, OR, AU widespread.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 260 g, with a wing length of about 28.6 cm and a tail of around 12.8 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 26.7 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-winged Kite?
The Black-winged Kite is a large bird that weighs around 260 g.
Where does the Black-winged Kite live?
The Black-winged Kite is found across Africa, Australia & Oceania and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF, OR, AU widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Black-winged Kite belong to?
The Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Black-winged Kite eat?
The Black-winged Kite preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Black-winged Kite migrate?
The Black-winged Kite is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Black-winged 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-winged Kite make?
1 real field recording of the Black-winged Kite — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-winged Kite's range?
The Black-winged Kite has a mapped global range of about 26.7 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.