Black-winged Kites Charm With Their Unique Glances

The Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) 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 Eurasian and African 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.

Their Appearance: Small, stout, unmistakable raptor with pale grey plumage. Strikingly broad wings and short tail. Large, round, owl-like head with black "mascara" and short neck. Underside of wing-tips, and upper median and lesser coverts black. Immature birds often with rusty underparts and white fringes to flight feathers and scapulars. Glides with wings raised high like a harrier. Frequent and skilfull hovering.