Photo: Greg Schechter / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-tailed Kite
Elanus leucurus
White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus) — Birds of Prey of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 346 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 leucurus
Where it lives
Southern, western USA to central Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 346 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-tailed Kite preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The White-tailed Kite is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus) is a member of the Accipitridae family, within the order Accipitriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA s, w USA to c Argentina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 346 g, with a wing length of about 29.4 cm and a tail of around 17 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 12.5 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-tailed Kite?
The White-tailed Kite is a large bird that weighs around 346 g.
Where does the White-tailed Kite live?
The White-tailed Kite is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA s, w USA to c Argentina, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the White-tailed Kite belong to?
The White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the White-tailed Kite eat?
The White-tailed Kite preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the White-tailed Kite migrate?
The White-tailed Kite is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the White-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 White-tailed Kite make?
1 real field recording of the White-tailed Kite — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-tailed Kite's range?
The White-tailed Kite has a mapped global range of about 12.5 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.