American Swallow-tailed Kite
Elanoides forficatus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderAccipitriformes
- FamilyAccipitridae (Accipítrids)
- GenusElanoides (Swallow-tailed Kites)
- SpeciesElanoides forficatus (American Swallow-tailed Kite)
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. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Cajas National Park
Variable Hawk
Buteo polyosoma
Harris' Hawk
Parabuteo unicinctus
Gray-backed Hawk
Leucopternis occidentalis
Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle
Geranoaetus melanoleucus
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
Cinereous Harrier
Circus cinereus
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Andean Condor
Vultur gryphus
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of American Swallow-tailed Kite at Cajas National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there