Swallow-tailed kite

For the African swallow-tailed kite, see Scissor-tailed kite.

Swallow-tailed kite
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Elanoides
Vieillot, 1818
Species:
E. forficatus
Binomial name
Elanoides forficatus
Subspecies
  • E. f. forficatus (Linn. 1758)
  • E. f. yetapa (Vieillot, 1818)
Distribution:
  Year-round
  Breeding
  Migration
Synonyms

Elanus forficatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Falco forficatus Linnaeus, 1758
Falco furcatus Linnaeus, 1766
Elanoides yetapa Vieillot, 1818 (now a subspecies)
Nauclerus furcatus Vigors, 1825
Milvus furcatus (Linnaeus, 1766)

The swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus) is a pernine raptor which breeds from the southeastern United States to eastern Peru and northern Argentina. It is the only species in the genus Elanoides. Most North and Central American breeders winter in South America where the species is resident year round.

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Elanoides forficatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22695017A93484824. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22695017A93484824.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.