Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Cordats)
ClassAves (Aus)
OrderAccipitriformes
FamilyAccipitridae (Accipítrids)
GenusElanus (Elanus Kites)
SpeciesElanus caeruleus (Black-winged Kite)

Insufficient data

overall probability at Wadden Sea National Park

1 Verified records at Wadden Sea National Park

☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus), also known as the black-shouldered kite (not to be confused with the closely related Australian species of the same name), is a small diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae best known for its habit of hovering over open grasslands in the manner of the much smaller kestrels. This Palearctic and Afrotropical species was sometimes combined with the Australian black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris) and the white-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus) of North and South America which together form a superspecies. This kite is distinctive, with long wings; white, grey and black plumage; and owl-like forward-facing eyes with red irises. The owl-like behaviour is even more pronounced in the letter-winged kite (Elanus scriptus), a nocturnal relative in Australia. Although mainly seen on plains, they are sometimes seen on grassy slopes of hills in the higher elevation regions of Asia. They are not migratory, but show nomadism in response to weather and food availability. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Wadden Sea National Park

Buteo buteo

Circus aeruginosus

Accipiter nisus

Haliaeetus albicilla

Circus cyaneus

Milvus milvus

Gypaetus barbatus

Circus pygargus

Pernis apivorus

Buteo lagopus

Circus macrourus

Milvus migrans

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Black-winged Kite at Wadden Sea National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal

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

#	Park	Country	Probability
1	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	40–50%
2	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	40–50%
3	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	30–40%
4	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	30–40%
5	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	30–40%
6	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	30–40%
7	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	20–30%
8	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	20–30%
9	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	20–30%
10	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	20–30%
11	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	20–30%
12	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	20–30%
13	Horton Plains National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	20–30%
14	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	20–30%
15	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	20–30%
16	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	20–30%
17	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	20–30%
18	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	20–30%
19	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	10–20%
20	Kerinci Seblat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	10–20%
21	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	10–20%
22	Way Kambas National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	10–20%
23	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	10–20%
24	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	10–20%
25	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	10–20%
26	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	10–20%
27	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	10–20%
28	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	10–20%
29	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	10–20%
30	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	10–20%
31	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	10–20%
32	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	10–20%
33	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	5–10%
34	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	5–10%
35	Eravikulam National Park	🇮🇳 India	5–10%
36	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	5–10%
37	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	5–10%
38	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	5–10%
39	Khao Yai National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	5–10%
40	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	5–10%
41	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	5–10%
42	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	5–10%
43	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	5–10%
44	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	5–10%
45	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	5–10%
46	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	5–10%
47	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	5–10%
48	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	5–10%
49	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	5–10%
50	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	<5%
51	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
52	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
53	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
54	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
55	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	<5%
56	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
57	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
58	Mudumalai National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
59	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	<5%
60	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	<5%
61	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
62	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	<5%
63	Sierra Nevada National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
64	Ba Be National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	<5%
65	Minneriya National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	<5%
66	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
67	Namdapha National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
68	Cévennes National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
69	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	<5%
70	Sundarbans National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
71	Semuliki National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
72	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
73	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
74	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
75	Royal Manas National Park	🇧🇹 Bhutan	<5%
76	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	<5%
77	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
78	Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
79	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
80	Lorentz National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
81	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	Insufficient data
82	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	Insufficient data
83	Bale Mountains National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	Insufficient data
84	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	Insufficient data
85	Bali Barat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
86	Volcanoes National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
87	Khao Sok National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	Insufficient data
88	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
89	Doi Inthanon National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	Insufficient data
90	Kinabalu Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data
91	Cat Tien National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	Insufficient data
92	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	Insufficient data
93	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	Insufficient data

← Back to Wadden Sea National Park

Black-winged Kite

Closest Relatives at Wadden Sea National Park

Common Buzzard

Western Marsh-Harrier

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

White-tailed Eagle

Hen Harrier

Red Kite

Bearded Vulture

Montagu's Harrier

European Honey-buzzard

Rough-legged Hawk

Pale Harrier

Black Kite

📅 Monthly Probability

☀️ When They're Spotted

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found