BIRDS of THE WORLD - An Online Bird Book
RAPTORS
Kites
Order Accipitriformes Family Accipitridae
RAPTORS
Raptors are carnivorous. They hunt by sight during the day, are long lived, and have low reproductive rates. They catch their prey via strong claws – three pointing forward and one pointing backward. The raptors that hunt by day are: hawks, eagle, kites, vultures, falcons. Owls hunt by night. Raptors are also called birds of prey.
Order Accipitriformes, family Accipitridae: hawks, eagles, kites, Old World vultures.
Order Accipitriformes, family Cathartidae: New World vultures
Order Strigiformes, family Strigidae: owls
Order Accipitriformes, family Accipitridae: hawks, eagles, kites, Old World vultures.
Order Accipitriformes, family Cathartidae: New World vultures
Also Accipitriformes: ospreys ( family Pandionidae); secretary bird (family Sagittariidae)
Order Falconiformes, family Falconidae: falconsOrder Strigiformes, family Strigidae: owls
Kites
Order Accipitriformes Family Accipitridae
The raptors termed kites spend great amount of time soaring. They are generally smaller than eagles and hawks.
Genus Chelictinia - 1 species
Kite,_African Swallow-tailed also Scissor-tailed Kite Chelictinia riocourii Found: Africa
The African Swallow-tailed Kite has gray upperparts; white underparts, forehead; red eyes.
Similar to: Swallow-tailed Kite. Range does not overlap. (American) Swallow-tailed Kite has deeper forked tail and whiter head than African Swallow-tailed Kite.
Image by: 1) BioDiv Library 2, 3) Dick Daniels - TanzaniaSimilar to: Swallow-tailed Kite. Range does not overlap. (American) Swallow-tailed Kite has deeper forked tail and whiter head than African Swallow-tailed Kite.
Genus Chondrohierax - 1 species
Kite,_Hook-billed Chondrohierax uncinatus Found: south central USA to South America, Caribbean
The underside of Hook-billed Kites can be blackish, gray, brown, brick red (female), or white (juvenile)
Similar to: Snail Kite. The Hook-billed Kite and Snail Kite both have hooked bills that enable them to eat their favorite food - snails.
Image by: 1, 2) Cláudio Dias Timm - Brazil 3, 4) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 5) David Cook - Peru 6) Amy McAndrews - MexicoSimilar to: Snail Kite. The Hook-billed Kite and Snail Kite both have hooked bills that enable them to eat their favorite food - snails.
1, 2) Female
Genus Elanoides - 1 species
Kite,_Swallow-tailed Elanoides forficatus Found: southeast USA to South America
The Swallow-tailed Kite has blackish upperparts; white underparts; black bill, feet; long forked tail.
Similar to: African Swallow-tailed Kite. Range does not overlap. (American) Swallow-tailed Kite has deeper forked tail and whiter head than African Swallow-tailed Kite.
Image by: 1) Joe Nicholson -
Florida 2) Lauren Anderson - Avian Reconditioning Center, Florida 3) Amy Evenstad 4) Artur Pedzwilk - Florida 5) Dick Daniels - Ash, North Carolina 6) Andy_MorffewSimilar to: African Swallow-tailed Kite. Range does not overlap. (American) Swallow-tailed Kite has deeper forked tail and whiter head than African Swallow-tailed Kite.
Genus Elanus
Kite,_Black-shouldered (African) also Black Winged Kite Elanus caeruleus Found: Europe, Africa, southern Asia,
Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea
The Black-shouldered Kite has gray upperparts; black shoulders; white face, underparts; black around the eyes; large head; short tail.
Similar to: Black-shouldered Kite (Australian). The Black-shouldered Kite (African) and Black-shouldered Kite (Australian) were previously considered the same species. The "Australian" is found only in Australia. The "African" is found in Europe, Africa, southern Asia, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea.
Similar to: White-tailed Kite. Range does not overlap.
Image by: 1, 2, 3) Dick Daniels - Radical Raptors, South Africa 4) T. S. Ganesh - India 5, 7) Dick - Nairobi National Park, Kenya 6) Tarique Sani - India 8) Lip Kee - Singapore Similar to: Black-shouldered Kite (Australian). The Black-shouldered Kite (African) and Black-shouldered Kite (Australian) were previously considered the same species. The "Australian" is found only in Australia. The "African" is found in Europe, Africa, southern Asia, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea.
Similar to: White-tailed Kite. Range does not overlap.
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Kite,_Black-shouldered (Australian) also Australian KIte Elanus axillaris Found: Australia
The Black-shouldered Kite has gray upperparts; black shoulders; white head, underparts; black around the eyes; large head; short tail.
Similar to: Black-shouldered Kite (African). The Black-shouldered Kite (African) and Black-shouldered Kite (Australian) were previously considered the same species. The "Australian" is found only in Australia. The "African" is found in Europe, Africa, southern Asia, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea.
Similar to: White-tailed Kite. Range does not overlap.
Image by: 1) David
Cook - South Australia 2) Patrick_K59 - Australia Wayne Butterworth - Australia David Jenkins - AustraliaSimilar to: Black-shouldered Kite (African). The Black-shouldered Kite (African) and Black-shouldered Kite (Australian) were previously considered the same species. The "Australian" is found only in Australia. The "African" is found in Europe, Africa, southern Asia, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea.
Similar to: White-tailed Kite. Range does not overlap.
Kite,_Letter-winged Elanus scriptus Found: Australia
The Letter-winged Kite has mainly white plumage with a bold black stripe on the shoulders and wings.
Image by: 1, 2) Nik_Borrow 3) Ron Knight - Australia 
Kite,_White-tailed Elanus leucurus Found: The Americas
The White-tailed Kite has gray upperparts; black shoulders; white face, underparts; black around the eyes; large head; short tail.
Similar to: Black-shouldered Kite (African). Range does not overlap.
Similar to: Black-shouldered Kite (Australian). Range does not overlap.
Similar to: Mississippi Kite. White-tailed Kite has whiter head and blacker shoulders than Mississippi Kite
Image by: 1, 3) Maggie Smith - California 2) Len Blumin - California 4) Greg Schechter 5) Gerardo Santos - Mexico 6) Dario Sanches - Brazil Kevin Cole 7) Charlie Westerinen - near Sacramento, CA 8) Tom Clifton - California Similar to: Black-shouldered Kite (African). Range does not overlap.
Similar to: Black-shouldered Kite (Australian). Range does not overlap.
Similar to: Mississippi Kite. White-tailed Kite has whiter head and blacker shoulders than Mississippi Kite
1, 2) Juvenile
Genus Gampsonyx - 1 species
Kite,_Pearl Gampsonyx swainsonii Found: Central and South America
The Pearl Kite has black upperparts, wings, tail; buffy forehead; dark partial collar; white underparts; yellow legs. Juveniles have some buff on mainly white underparts.
Image by: 1) Barloventomagico - Venezuela 2) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 3) Cláudio Timm - Brazil 4) Dilson Santos 5) Jerry Oldenettel - Costa Rica1, 2) Juvenile
Genus Haliastur
Kite,_Brahminy Haliastur indus Found: southern Asia, Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea
The Brahminy Kite has chestnut upperparts, lower-belly; white head, neck, breast, upper-belly; black wingtips.
Image by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - Featherdale Wildlife Park, Australia 3) LonelyShrimp - Thailand 4) sfitzgerald86 - India 5) Nikhil Prabhakar - India
Kite,_Whistling Haliastur sphenurus Found: Australia
The Whistling Kite has brown upperparts; light brown head, neck, underparts; dark flight feathers with light wing-coverts.
Image by: 1) Jim Bendon - North Queensland 2, 4) David Jenkins - Victoria 3) Paul_Balfe - Western Australia 5) Athena Ferreira 6, 7, 8) Michael Dawes 
Genus Hamirostra - 1 species
Kite,_Black-breasted also Black-breasted Buzzard also Black-breasted Vulture Hamirostra melanosternon Found: Australia
The Black-breasted Kite has mainly darkish plumage; rufous nape; mottled shoulders;. white patch near wingtips.
Image by: 1, 2) Benjamint444b -
Annapurna region of Nepal 3) Lip Kee - Northern Territory
Genus Harpagus
These are small kites. They have pale tails with dark bars; white throat with a dark stripe down the middle; blunt bill with two notches on each side of the upper mandible.
Kite,_Double-toothed Harpagus bidentatus Found: Central and South America
The Double-toothed Kite has blackish upperparts; gray head; whitish throat with dark median stripe; rufous upper-breast; whitish lower-breast and belly with gray bars; dark under-tail with white barring.
Image by: 1) Barloventomagiico - Venezuela 2, 3) Joule_e 4) Ben Tavener - Ecuador 1) Juvenile
Kite,_Rufous-thighed Harpagus diodon Found: South America
The Rufous-thighed Kite has blackish upperparts; gray head; whitish throat with dark median stripe; light gray underparts; rufous thighs, under-wings; light gray under-tail with 4 dark bars.
Image by: 1) Rick Simpson 2) Paulo Victor
Genus Helicolestes - 1 species
Kite,_Slender-billed Helicolestes hamatus Found: Panama, South America
The Slender-billed Kite has dark gray plumage; yellow eyes. Thin and hooked bill is used for eating snails.
Similar to: Snail Kite (male). Slender-billed Kite has shorter tail than Snail Kite.
Image by: 1) Claudio Timm Similar to: Snail Kite (male). Slender-billed Kite has shorter tail than Snail Kite.
Genus Ictinia
Kite,_Mississippi Ictinia mississippiensis Found: south USA to South America
The Mississippi Kite has gray plumage with darker gray wings and tail.
Similar to: Plumbeous Kite. Plumbeous Kite has rufous on primaries; Mississippi Kite has little rufous.
Similar to: White-tailed Kite. White-tailed Kite has whiter head and blacker shoulders than Mississippi Kite
Image by: 1) Duane Bryce 2) Jerry Oldenettel - New Mexico 3) Lotus Dreamer - Oklahoma 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor CenterSimilar to: Plumbeous Kite. Plumbeous Kite has rufous on primaries; Mississippi Kite has little rufous.
Similar to: White-tailed Kite. White-tailed Kite has whiter head and blacker shoulders than Mississippi Kite
1, 2) Juvenile
Kite,_Plumbeous Ictinia plumbea Found: Mexico, Central America, South America
The Plumbeous Kite has mainly slate-gray plumage; red eyes; orange legs; 2 to 3 white bands on tail; rufous on primary feathers.
Similar to: Mississippi Kite. Plumbeous Kite has rufous on primaries; Mississippi Kite has little rufous.
Image by: 1) Barloventomagico - Venezuela 2, 3) Harmony on Planet Earth - Panama 4) Alastair Rae - Brazil 5) Wagner Lemes 6) Ron Knight - ArgentinaSimilar to: Mississippi Kite. Plumbeous Kite has rufous on primaries; Mississippi Kite has little rufous.
Genus Leptodon
Kite,_Gray-headed Leptodon cayanensis Found: Mexico, Central America, South America
The Gray-headed Kite has black upperparts, gray head; white underparts; black tail with 2 or 3 white bars; blue bill; gray legs.
Image by: 1) Victor Burolla - Costa Rica 2) Claudi Timm 3) Jerry OIdenettel - Venezuela
Kite,_White-collared Leptodon forbesi Found: northeast Brazil
The White-collared Kite has black upperparts, gray head; white hind-neck, underparts; gray tail with broad subterminal band and narrow whitish tip. Critically endangered.
Image by: 1) Ciro Albano - Pernambuco, Brazil
Genus Lophoictinia - 1 species
Kite,_Square-tailed Lophoictinia isura Found: Australia
The Square-tailed Kite has a whitish face; streaked breast; barred tail with dark sub-terminal band.
Image by: 1) Graham_Winterflood 2, 3) Laurie_Boyle 4) Oystercatcher - New South Wales 
Genus Milvus
Kite,_Black Milvus migrans Found: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
The Black Kite has dark brown upperparts; paler head, neck; dark eye patch; brown underparts; black bill; yellowish cere.
Similar to: Yellow-billed Kite. Black Kite has black bill; Yellow-billed Kite has yellow bill.
Image by: 1) Lie Van Rompaey 2) Dick Daniels - Nepal 3) Koshy_Koshy 4) Dick - Madagascar 5) Cristiano Crolle - Annone Lake, Italy Similar to: Yellow-billed Kite. Black Kite has black bill; Yellow-billed Kite has yellow bill.
Kite,_Red Milvus milvus Found: Europe and northwest Africa
The Red Kite has mainly rufous plumage; lighter face; white primary flight feathers with black tips; yellow bill.
Image by: 1) Isiwal 2) Hans Hillewaert - Belgium 3) Pavrabec 4)
Thomas Kraft - Germany 5) Cristiano Crolle - near Novara Italy 
Kite,_Yellow-billed Milvus aegyptius Found: Africa
The Yellow-billed Kite is considered by some to be a subspecies of the Black Kite. It has dark brown upperparts; paler head, neck; dark eye patch; brown underparts; yellow bill, cere.
Similar to: Black Kite. Black Kite has black bill; Yellow-billed Kite has yellow bill.
Image by: 1) D. Gordon Robertson - Ngorongoro Crater Park, Tanzania 2) Schuyler Shepherd
3, 4, 5) Arno
Meinties 6, 7) Dick Daniels - Tanzania 8, 9) Sias van Schalkwyk - South AfricaSimilar to: Black Kite. Black Kite has black bill; Yellow-billed Kite has yellow bill.
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1) Juvenile
Genus Rostrhamus - 1 species
Kite,_Snail Rostrhamus sociabilis Found: Florida, Central America, Caribbean, South America
Similar to: Hook-billed Kite. The Hook-billed Kite and Snail Kite both have hooked bills that enable them to eat their favorite food - snails.
Similar to: Slender-billed Kite. Slender-billed Kite has shorter tail than Snail Kite.
Image by: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8)
Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 4, 5, 7)
Dario Sanches Similar to: Slender-billed Kite. Slender-billed Kite has shorter tail than Snail Kite.
1, 2) Juvenile 3, 4) juvenile male 5, 6) Female 7, 8) Male
