Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ White-tailed Kite

Elanus leucurus

(Vieillot, 1818)

White-tailed Kite

G5Secure Found in 11 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105756
Element CodeABNKC06010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderAccipitriformes
FamilyAccipitridae
GenusElanus
Synonyms
Elanus caeruleus
Other Common Names
Élanion à queue blanche (FR) Gavião-Peneira (PT) Milano Cola Blanca, Gavilán Blanco, Taguato Morotî (ES) white-tailed kite (EN)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Constitutes a superspecies with E. caeruleus and E. axillaris (AOU 1998); the three species were treated as conspecific by (AOU 1983). Sibley and Monroe (1990) regarded the three taxa as distinct species. Clark and Banks (1992) emphasized that American elanus differs from Old World kites in greater size and weight, in proportions (relatively longer tail and small bill and feet), plumage pattern (particularly of juveniles), and in behavior; they argued that these differences are sufficient to warrant recognition of E. leucurus as a distinct species.
Conservation Status
Review Date1996-11-22
Change Date1996-11-22
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Range Extent Comments
RESIDENT: locally from southwestern Washington south to northwestern Baja California (mainly in Central Valley of California), in Florida (small resident population), and from southern Texas south through Mexico to South America (northern Colombia to Guianas, eastern Brazil through Paraguay, northern Argentina, and Chile; Ridgely et al. 1989); recent breeding in Arizona, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi; numerous recent occurrences throughout the southern U.S.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Savanna, open woodland, marshes, partially cleared lands and cultivated fields, mostly in lowland situations (Tropical to Temperate zones) (AOU 1983).

Nests in trees, often near a marsh, usually 6-15 m above the ground in branches near the top of a tree. Generally builds a new nest for each clutch (Palmer 1988).

Ecology

In southern California, communal roosting occurs in fall-winter; location of roost may shift during that period.

In northwestern California, 26 territories ranged from 1.6-21.5 ha (mean 7.8 ha); territories were largest in areas where vole density and total raptor abundance were relatively low (Dunk and Cooper 1994).

Reproduction

Female incubates usually 4-5 eggs for about 30-32 days; male provides food. Young leave nest in 30-35 days (or more). Sometimes two broods/year. Some may breed at one year (Palmer 1988).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodSavannaGrassland/herbaceousCropland/hedgerow
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS3Yes
New MexicoS2NYes
ArizonaS2B,S2NYes
WashingtonS2Yes
MississippiSNAYes
FloridaS1Yes
CaliforniaS3Yes
TexasS4BYes
LouisianaS1B,S1NYes
CanadaNNA
Roadless Areas (11)
California (10)
AreaForestAcres
ChannellSequoia National Forest45,429
CuyamaLos Padres National Forest19,631
LaddCleveland National Forest5,300
Malduce BuckhornLos Padres National Forest14,177
MonoLos Padres National Forest28,141
Santa CruzLos Padres National Forest21,182
Sespe - FrazierAngeles National Forest4,254
Sill HillCleveland National Forest5,294
TequepisLos Padres National Forest9,080
White LedgeLos Padres National Forest18,632
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Meadow CreekGila National Forest34,167
References (41)
  1. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
  3. BirdLife International. 2004b. Threatened birds of the world 2004. CD ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.
  4. Braun, M. J., D. W. Finch, M. B. Robbins, and B. K. Schmidt. 2000. A field checklist of the birds of Guyana. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
  5. Clarkson, K. E. and L. P. Laniawe. 2000. Hawaiian Hawk, <i>Buteo solitarius</i>. In A. Poole and F. Gill, editors. The Birds of North America. No. 523. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 16 pp.
  6. Clark, W. S., and R. C. Banks. 1992. The taxonomic status of the white-tailed kite. Wilson Bull. 104:571-579.
  7. Craighead, J. J., and F. C. Craighead, Jr. 1956. Hawks, Owls and Wildlife. The Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the Wildlife Management Institute, Washington, D.C.
  8. Curnutt, J. L. 1989. Nesting of the black-shouldered kite (ELANUS CAERULEUS) in Everglades National Park. Florida Field Nat. 17:77-79.
  9. Dunk, J. R., and R. J. Cooper. 1994. Territory-size regulation in black-shouldered kites. Auk 111:588-595.
  10. England, A. S., M. J. Bechard, and C. S. Houston. 1997. Swainson's Hawk (<i>Buteo swainsoni</i>). No. 265 IN A. Poole and F. Gill, editors, The birds of North America. The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, DC. 28pp.
  11. Gatz, T. A., et al. 1988. Black-shouldered kite. Pages 48-53 in Glinski et al., eds. Proc. Southwest Raptor Manage. Symp. and Workshop. National Wildlife Federation Sci. and Tech. Ser. No. 11.
  12. Hawbecker, A. C. 1942. A life history study of the white-tailed kite. Condor 44:267-276.
  13. Hector, D. P. 1988b. Aplomado Falcon (<i>Falco femoralis</i>). Pages 315-322 in R. S. Palmer, editor, Handbook of North American birds. Vol. 5: Family Accipitridae, Family Falconidae. Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut.
  14. Houston, C. S., and J. K. Schmutz. 1995. Swainson's Hawk banding in North America to 1992. North American Bird Bander 20:120-127.
  15. Howell, S. N. G., and S. Webb. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
  16. Johnsgard, P. A. 1990. Hawks, eagles, and falcons of North America. Smithsonian Inst. Press, Washington, D.C. xvi + 403 pp.
  17. Johnson, R. R., R. L. Glinski, and S. W. Matteson. 2000. Zone-tailed Hawk (<i>Buteo albonotatus</i>). No. 529 IN A. Poole and F. Gill, editors, The birds of North America. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 20pp.
  18. Kochert, M. N. 1986. Raptors. pages 313-349 IN: A. Y. Cooperrider, R. J. Boyd, and H. R. Stuart, editors. Inventory and monitoring of wildlife habitat. Denver, CO: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Denver Service Center.
  19. Leary, A. W., R. Mazaika, and M. J. Bechard. 1998. Factors affecting the size of Ferruginous Hawk home ranges. Wilson Bulletin 110:198-205.
  20. Leveau, L. M., C. M. Leveau, and U. F. J. Pardiñas. 2002. Dieta del Milano Blanco (Elanus leucurus) en Argentina. Ornitologia Neotropical 13:307-311.
  21. Matteson, S. W., and J. O. Riley. 1981. Distribution and nesting success of Zone-tailed Hawks in west Texas. Wilson Bulletin 107:719-723.
  22. Montoya, A.B., P.J. Zwank, and M. Cardenas. 1997. Breeding biology of Aplomado Falcons in desert grasslands of Chihuahua, Mexico. Journal of Field Ornithology 68(1):135-143.
  23. Olendorff, R. R. 1993. Status, biology, and management of Ferruginous Hawks: a review. Raptor Res. and Tech. Asst. Cen., Special Report. U.S. Dept. Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Boise, Idaho. 84 pp.
  24. Palmer, R. S., editor. 1988a. Handbook of North American birds. Vol. 4. [Diurnal raptors, part 1]. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. vii + 433 pp.
  25. Parker III, T. A., D. F. Stotz, and J. W. Fitzpatrick. 1996. Ecological and distributional databases for neotropical birds. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
  26. Parkes, K. C. 1958. Specific relationships in the genus ELANUS. Condor 60:139-140.
  27. Pendleton, B. A. G., B. A. Millsap, K. W. Cline, and D. M. Bird. 1987. Raptor management techniques manual. National Wildlife Federation, Sci. and Tech. Ser. No. 10. 420 pp.
  28. Petersen, L. 1979. Ecology of Great Horned Owls and Red-tailed Hawks in southeastern Wisconsin. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Technical Bulletin no. 111.
  29. Pruett-Jones, S. G., M. Pruett-Jones, and R. L. Knight. 1980. The white-tailed kite in North and Middle America: current status and recent population changes. Am. Birds 34:682-688.
  30. Ridgely, R. S. 2002. Distribution maps of South American birds. Unpublished.
  31. Ridgely, R. S. and J. A. Gwynne, Jr. 1989. A Guide to the Birds of Panama. 2nd edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, USA.
  32. Ridgely, R. S., and J. A. Gwynne, Jr. 1989. A guide to the birds of Panama with Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. Second edition. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey. 534 pp.
  33. Root, T. 1988. Atlas of wintering North American birds: An analysis of Christmas Bird Count data. University of Chicago Press. 336 pp.
  34. Sibley, C.G., and B.L. Monroe, Jr. 1990. Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. xxiv + 1111 pp.
  35. Sibley, D. A. 2000a. The Sibley guide to birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  36. Smith, D. G., and J. R. Murphy. 1973. Breeding ecology of raptors in the eastern Great Basin of Utah. Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biol. Ser. 13:1-76.
  37. Steenhof, K. 1998. Prairie Falcon (<i>Falco mexicanus</i>). In A. Poole and F. Gill, editors, The Birds of North America, No. 346. The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 28 pp.
  38. Stiles, F. G. and A. F. Skutch. 1989. A guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, USA. 511 pp.
  39. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  40. Woodbridge, B., K. K. Finley, and P. H. Bloom. 1995. Reproductive performance, age structure, and natal dispersal of Swainson's Hawks in the Butte Valley, California. Journal of Raptor Research 29:187-192.
  41. Zook, J. L. 2002. Distribution maps of the birds of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Unpublished.