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 →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a American Swallow-tailed Kite sighting in La Tigra National Park, based on 38 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at La Tigra National Park
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Broad-winged Hawk
Buteo platypterus
Common Black-Hawk
Buteogallus anthracinus
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
Roadside Hawk
Rupornis magnirostris
Black Hawk-Eagle
Spizaetus tyrannus
Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
Short-tailed Hawk
Buteo brachyurus
Gray-lined Hawk
Buteo nitidus
Zone-tailed Hawk
Buteo albonotatus
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ 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
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a American Swallow-tailed Kite in La Tigra National Park?
About 16% of wildlife watchers report a American Swallow-tailed Kite sighting in La Tigra National Park, based on 38 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see American Swallow-tailed Kite in La Tigra National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for American Swallow-tailed Kite in La Tigra National Park in our monthly data.