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 →
<5% of wildlife watchers report a American Swallow-tailed Kite sighting in Shenandoah National Park, based on 16 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Shenandoah National Park
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Broad-winged Hawk
Buteo platypterus
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneus
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
📅 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 Shenandoah National Park?
About 0% of wildlife watchers report a American Swallow-tailed Kite sighting in Shenandoah National Park, based on 16 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see American Swallow-tailed Kite in Shenandoah National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for American Swallow-tailed Kite in Shenandoah National Park in our monthly data.