Block, Siteadmin, SkipCaptcha, Upload, Automoderated users, delete, edit, Moderators, move, protect, rollback, Administrators
27,336
edits
Changes
no edit summary
|subclass=Neornithes
|subclass=Neornithes
|infraclass=Neoaves
|infraclass=Neoaves
|superorder=Passerimorphae
|superorder=
|order=Accipitriformes
|order=Accipitriformes
|suborder=
|suborder=Accipitres
|infraorder=Falconides
|infraorder=
|superfamily=
|superfamily=Accipitroidea
|families=
|families=
|family=Accipitridae
|family=Accipitridae
|subfamily=Elaninae
|subfamily=
|supertribe=
|supertribe=
|tribe=
|tribe=
|species=E. forficatus
|species=E. forficatus
|binomialname=
|binomialname=
|syn=
|syn=''Falco forficatus''
|sub=
|sub=
|alt=
|alt=
|regionimg=
|regionimg=
|pop=
|pop=
|conservation=
|conservation=Least concern<ref>https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22695017/93484824</ref>
}}
}}
The '''swallow-tailed kite''' (''Elanides forficatus'') is a species of [[bird of prey]] of the family Accipitridae, and the only species of the genus ''Elanoides''. It is found over much of the subtropical and tropical areas of the Americas.
==Description==
The swallow-tailed kite has a body length of 19.3 to 25.6 inches, a wingspan of 44.9 to 50 inches, and weigh from 14.9 to 15.5 ounces. Females are slightly larger than males. In appearance the pointed wings and the long, deeply-forked tail make it resemble a large swallow.
The beak is black, the skin is dark blue gray, with a waxy appearance. The iris is red. Head, neck, underside, under wing coverts and leg feathers are white, contrasting with the upper part of the body, wings, and tail a bluish-black color, with the shoulder feathers to the upper wing coverts sometimes shimmering with a metallic purple, greenish or bronze colors. Legs and feet are light blue-gray, and rather small in size.
===Subspecies===
Two subspecies are recognized, distinguished by the coloration of the back plumage. The northern subspecies bears a purple sheen and longer tail feathers, while the southern subspecies bears greenish to bronze back feather sheen.
*''Elanoides forficatus forficatus''; southeastern coastal United States to northern Mexico and Yucatan.
*''Elanoides forficatus yetapa''; southern Mexico through Central America, south to eastern Bolivia, Paraguay and northeastern Argentina.
==References==
<small><references/></small>
[[Category:Birds of Prey]][[Category:Kites]]
[[Category:Birds of Prey]][[Category:Kites]]