Photo: Aviceda / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Birds of Prey

Square-tailed Kite

Lophoictinia isura

Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura) — Birds of Prey of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia

By family

Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Australia Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Australian Capital Territory Hawks, Eagles & Kites of New South Wales Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Northern Territory Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Queensland Hawks, Eagles & Kites of South Australia Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Victoria Hawks, Eagles & Kites of Western Australia

See what's near you right now

The Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 579 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Accipitriformes
Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Genus Lophoictinia
Species isura

Where it lives

Australia (except south-central, Tasmania)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 579 g
Diet: Vertebrate hunters
Family: Accipitridae
Order: Accipitriformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Square-tailed Kite preys mainly on other vertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

The Square-tailed Kite is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Australia (except sc, Tasmania).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 579 g, with a wing length of about 47.1 cm and a tail of around 22.4 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 1.1 million km².

Songs & calls

Square-tailed Kite — Call, flight call

Recorded by Greg McLachlan Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Square-tailed Kite?

The Square-tailed Kite is a large bird that weighs around 579 g.

Where does the Square-tailed Kite live?

The Square-tailed Kite is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Australia (except sc, Tasmania), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Square-tailed Kite belong to?

The Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.

What does the Square-tailed Kite eat?

The Square-tailed Kite preys mainly on other vertebrates.

Does the Square-tailed Kite migrate?

The Square-tailed Kite is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Square-tailed 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 Square-tailed Kite make?

1 real field recording of the Square-tailed 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 Square-tailed Kite's range?

The Square-tailed Kite has a mapped global range of about 1.1 million km².