Photo: Dario Sanches from São Paulo, Brazil / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Plumbeous Kite
Ictinia plumbea
Plumbeous Kite (Ictinia plumbea) — Birds of Prey of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Plumbeous Kite (Ictinia plumbea) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 250 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 Ictinia
- Species plumbea
Quick facts
- Weight
- 250 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Plumbeous Kite is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Plumbeous Kite is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Plumbeous Kite (Ictinia plumbea) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA ne Mexico to n Argentina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 250 g, with a wing length of about 28.6 cm and a tail of around 13.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 12.7 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Plumbeous Kite?
The Plumbeous Kite is a large bird that weighs around 250 g.
Where does the Plumbeous Kite live?
The Plumbeous Kite is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA ne Mexico to n Argentina, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Plumbeous Kite belong to?
The Plumbeous Kite (Ictinia plumbea) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Plumbeous Kite eat?
The Plumbeous Kite is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Plumbeous Kite migrate?
The Plumbeous Kite is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Plumbeous 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 Plumbeous Kite make?
1 real field recording of the Plumbeous 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 Plumbeous Kite's range?
The Plumbeous Kite has a mapped global range of about 12.7 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.