Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Black-winged Kite, Elanus caeruleus, photo © by Michael Plagens

Nairobi National Park, Kenya. Oct. 2016.

From Wikipedia: This long-winged raptor is predominantly grey or white with black shoulder patches, wing tips and eye stripe. The long falcon-like wings extend beyond the tail when the bird is perched. In flight, the short and square tail is visible and it is not forked as in the typical kites of the genus Milvus. When perched, often on roadside wires, it often adjusts its wings and jerks its tail up and down as if to balance itself. The sexes are alike in plumage. Their large forward-facing eyes and velvety plumage are characters that are shared with owls.

Accipitridae -- Falcon, Hawk and Eagle Family

Books:

  • Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania by Zimmerman et al.
  • Birds of East Africa by Stevenson and Fanshawe

More Information:


Kenya Natural History

Copyright Michael J. Plagens, page created 28 Nov. 2016