# Black-winged kite

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Raptor native to Eurasia

Black-winged kite E. c. vociferus hovering E. c. vociferus perched Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae Genus: Elanus Species: E. caeruleus Binomial name Elanus caeruleus (Desfontaines, 1789) Subspecies E. c. caeruleus (Desfontaines, 1789) E. c. hypoleucus (Gould, 1859) E. c. vociferus (Latham, 1790) Range of E. caeruleus Synonyms Falco cæruleus Desf., 1789 Falco vociferus Latham, 1790 Falco melanopterus Daudin, 1800 Elanus cæsius Sav., 1809 Elanus melanopterus Leach, 1817

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](/source/Diurnality) [bird of prey](/source/Bird_of_prey) in the family [Accipitridae](/source/Accipitridae) best known for its habit of hovering over open grasslands in the manner of the much smaller [kestrels](/source/Kestrel). This [Palearctic](/source/Palearctic) and [Afrotropical](/source/Afrotropical) species was sometimes combined with the [Australian](/source/Australia) [black-shouldered kite](/source/Black-shouldered_kite) (*Elanus axillaris*) and the [white-tailed kite](/source/White-tailed_kite) (*Elanus leucurus*) of North and South America which together form a [superspecies](/source/Superspecies). This kite is distinctive, with long wings; white, grey and black [plumage](/source/Plumage); and owl-like forward-facing eyes with red irises. The owl-like behaviour is even more pronounced in the [letter-winged kite](/source/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](/source/Asia). They are not migratory, but show nomadism in response to weather and food availability. They are well adapted to utilize periodic upsurges in [rodent](/source/Rodent) populations and can raise multiple broods in a single year unlike most birds of prey. Populations in southern Europe have grown in response to human activities, particularly agriculture and livestock rearing. It is now present in Southwest France.

## Taxonomy

Comparison of skull of *Elanus* with *Falco* (right)

The black-winged kite was [described](/source/Species_description) by the French naturalist [René Louiche Desfontaines](/source/Ren%C3%A9_Louiche_Desfontaines) in 1789 and given the [binomial name](/source/Binomial_name) *Falco caeruleus*.[2] The [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) is the town of [Algiers](/source/Algiers) in Algeria.[3] The black-winged kite is now one of four species placed in the [genus](/source/Genus) *[Elanus](/source/Elanus)* that was introduced in 1809 by the French zoologist [Jules-César Savigny](/source/Marie_Jules_C%C3%A9sar_Savigny).[4] The genus *Elanus* is distinctive in having very small scales covering the foot and on the underside, scutellate scales are found only under the terminal phalanges. The claw lacks a groove on the underside.[5] The name *Elanus* is from [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) *elanos* for a "kite". The specific epithet *caeruleus* is the Latin for "blue".[6]

There are three [subspecies](/source/Subspecies):[7]

- *E. c. caeruleus* ([Desfontaines](/source/Ren%C3%A9_Louiche_Desfontaines), 1789) – southwest Iberian Peninsula, Africa, southwest Arabia

- *E. c. vociferus* ([Latham](/source/John_Latham_(ornithologist)), 1790) – Pakistan to east China, Malay Peninsula and Indochina. The underwing secondaries are smoky grey and nearly white in the nominate subspecies.[8]

- *E. c. hypoleucus* [Gould](/source/John_Gould), 1859 – [Greater](/source/Greater_Sunda_Islands) and [Lesser Sunda Islands](/source/Lesser_Sunda_Islands), the Philippines, [Sulawesi](/source/Sulawesi) and New Guinea

## Description

*E. c. caeruleus* hovering with whitish underside of the secondaries visible.

This long-winged raptor is predominantly grey or white with black shoulder patches, wing tips and eye stripe. The long [falcon-like](/source/Falcon) wings extend beyond the tail when the bird is perched. In flight, the short and square tail is visible and it is not forked as in the typical kites of the genus *Milvus*. When perched, often on roadside wires, it often adjusts its wings and jerks its tail up and down as if to balance itself. The sexes are alike in plumage.[9] Their large forward-facing eyes placed under a bony shelf that shades them is distinctive; their velvety plumage and zygodactyl feet[10] are characters shared with owls and the genus has been considered as a [basal](/source/Basal_(phylogeny)) group within the Accipitridae.[11] They are thought to have been adapted for living in savanna habitats where seasonal rodent population peaks occur. Such food resources are also favoured by the owls. The inner vanes of the feathers have velvety barbules.[12] They have a diploid chromosome number of 68 (some older studies claimed 64 for *E.c.caeruleus* and 66 for *E.c.vociferus*) with a distinct [karyotype](/source/Karyotype) with resemblances to the kites and honey buzzards and suggesting a basal position within the diurnal birds of prey.[13][14]

## Distribution and habitat

The black-winged kite is a species primarily of open land and semi-deserts in sub-[Saharan](/source/Sahara) Africa and tropical Asia, but it has a foothold within Europe in Spain and Portugal. The species range appears to be expanding in southern Europe and, more recently, also to West Asia.[15] The first records of breeding in Europe were in the 1860s and since then they have become more widespread and populations are on the rise. It is thought that land-use changes, particularly agriculture and pastureland have helped the species.[16] The species has expanded its range in southern Europe and vagrants from Switzerland and England indicate that the species is moving north.[17][18][19]

Immature *E. c. caeruleus* from Namibia. The iris is dark in young birds.

Several geographic populations have been named as subspecies and these include the nominate subspecies which occurs in Spain, Africa and [Arabia](/source/Arabia). The subspecies *vociferus* is found east of this range across South Asia and into Southeast Asia. Along [Sumatra](/source/Sumatra), [Java](/source/Java), [Borneo](/source/Borneo) and the Philippines subspecies *hypoleucus* (sometimes considered a full species) includes the population *wahgiensis* described from New Guinea. The subspecies *sumatranus* is not always recognized. The [white-tailed kite](/source/White-tailed_kite) and the [black-shouldered kite](/source/Black-shouldered_kite) were formerly included with this species but have since been treated as separate species.[20][21]

Although found mainly on the plains they have been seen at higher altitudes in [Sikkim](/source/Sikkim) (3,650 m (11,980 ft)),[22] the [Nilgiris](/source/Nilgiri_mountains) (Doddabetta, 2,670 m (8,760 ft))[23] and [Nagaland](/source/Nagaland) (2,020 m (6,630 ft)).[24]

They are said to be winter visitors in some parts of their range such as the [Western Ghats](/source/Western_Ghats).[9]

## Behaviour and ecology

A courting pair (*E. c. vociferus*) with a rodent

The black-winged kite breeds at different times of the year across its range. Although nesting has been noted throughout the year in India, they appear not to breed in April and May. Males establish territories and defend them from competition. Females move into the territories of males. Studies in Africa found that males were more numerous than females.[25] Courtship is noisy and involves chases and once the pair is formed they copulate frequently.[26] The [nest](/source/Bird_nest) is a loose platform of twigs in which 3 or 4 eggs are laid. The female spends more effort in the construction of the nest than the male. The eggs are pale creamy with spots of deep red. Both parents incubate but when the chicks hatch, the male spends more time on foraging for food.[9] Females initially feed the young, sometimes hunting close to the nest but will also receive food from the male. After [fledging](/source/Fledge) the young birds continue to be dependent for food on the male parent for about 80 days, initially transferring food at perch and later in the air.[27] Young birds have reddish brown feathers on the upperparts and on the breast. The reddish colour is derived from porphyrins and is thought to provide the young birds some camouflage.[10] Once breeding is complete females often move on to new territories sometimes deserting before the young fledge, leaving males to feed and raise the young. Both males and females show considerable nomadism.[25] Unlike most birds of prey, they are capable of raising multiple broods in a year, and young birds are known to disperse widely, adaptations that helps them utilize periodic rodent population surges.[28] Their opportunistic breeding capabilities are also accompanied by irregular patterns of moult. Young birds show "arrested" moult, retaining feathers for a season and then rapidly moulting them in a serial descendent pattern, where more than one primary feather is moulted at the same time. The adult plumage is found after two years.[29]

Calls

Eggs

Their prey includes grasshoppers, crickets and other large insects, lizards, and rodents. Injured birds, small snakes and frogs have also been reported.[9] The black-winged kite flies slowly during hunting like a harrier, but it will also hover like a [kestrel](/source/Kestrel_(bird)). It has on rare occasions been known to hunt prey in flight.[30] Perches are used for hunting and for feeding but large prey may sometimes be handled on the ground.[31] In southern Africa, they appear to favour roadside verges for foraging and are sometimes killed by collisions with [vehicles](/source/Roadkill).[32]

These birds roost communally with groups of 15 to 35 (larger numbers in Europe[33]) converging at a large leafy tree.[34] They are extremely silent and the calls recorded include a high-pitched squeal or a soft whistle.[9] They call mainly during the breeding season and at the roost site.[35][36] A species of [nematode](/source/Nematode), *Physaloptera acuticauda*, has been recorded as a parasite of the species in South Africa.[37] A [trematode](/source/Trematoda) species, *Neodiplostomum elani*, has been described from a black-winged kite [type host](/source/Type_(biology)) from Chandigarh.[38] A feather louse *Degeeriella elani* is known from the species.[39]

The soft feathers of black-winged kites can lead to adherence with some grass seeds which may be dispersed by the species. However such seeds can pose the risk of entangling their wings.[40]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-iucn_status_19_November_2021_1-0)** BirdLife International (2019). ["*Elanus caeruleus*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22695028/152521997). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2019** e.T22695028A152521997. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22695028A152521997.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22695028A152521997.en). Retrieved 19 November 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Desfontaines, René Louiche](/source/Ren%C3%A9_Louiche_Desfontaines) (1789). ["Mémoire sur quelques nouvelles espèces d'oiseaux des côtes de Barbarie"](https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28011233). *Histoire de l'Académie Royale des Sciences, Avec les Mémoires de Mathématique et de Physique* (in French). **1787**: 496-505 [503, Plate 15]. The title page gives the year as 1787 and the year of publication as 1789.

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-Balbontin2008_16-0)** Balbontin, J.; Negro, J.J.; Sarasola, N.H.; Ferrero, J.J.; Rivera, D. (2008). "Land-use changes may explain the recent range expansion of the Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus in southern Europe". *Ibis*. **150** (4): 707–716. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1474-919X.2008.00845.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1474-919X.2008.00845.x). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[11336/81744](https://hdl.handle.net/11336%2F81744).

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1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_25-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_25-1) Mendelsohn, John M. (1 March 1983). "Social Behaviour and Dispersion of the Blackshouldered Kite". *Ostrich*. **54** (1): 1–18. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1983Ostri..54....1M](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983Ostri..54....1M). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/00306525.1983.9634437](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F00306525.1983.9634437). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0030-6525](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0030-6525).

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-Lamba1969_30-0)** Lamba, B.S. (1969). ["Blackwinged Kite, *Elanus caeruleus vociferus* (Latham) taking in flight a wounded Green Pigeon, *Treron phoenicoptera* (Latham)"](https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47961757). *Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society*. **66** (3): 622.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Tarboton1978_31-0)** Tarboton, W.R. (1978). "Hunting and the Energy Budget of the Black-Shouldered Kite". *The Condor*. **80** (1): 88–91. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/1367793](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F1367793). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [1367793](https://www.jstor.org/stable/1367793).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Dean2003_32-0)** Dean, W.R.J.; Milton, S.J. (2003). "The importance of roads and road verges for raptors and crows in the Succulent and Nama-Karoo, South Africa". *Ostrich*. **74** (3&4): 181–186. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2003Ostri..74..181D](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2003Ostri..74..181D). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2989/00306520309485391](https://doi.org/10.2989%2F00306520309485391). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [83710717](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:83710717).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Parejo2001_33-0)** Parejo, D.; Avilés, J.M.; Ferrero, J.J.; Rivera, D. (2001). ["Communal roosting and diet of Black-shouldered Kite *Elanus caeruleus* wintering in the southwest of Spain"](http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/jrr/v035n02/p00162-p00164.pdf) (PDF). *Journal of Raptor Research*. **35**: 162–164.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bharos1997_34-0)** Bharos, A.M.K. (1997). ["A large communal roost of Blackwinged Kites *Elanus caeruleus*"](https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48601944). *Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society*. **94** (3): 566.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Sharma1993_35-0)** Sharma, A.K. (1993). ["Courtship display of Blackwinged Kite"](https://archive.org/stream/NLBW33_3#page/n15/mode/1up/). *[Newsletter for Birdwatchers](/source/Newsletter_for_Birdwatchers)*. **33** (3): 54.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Srinivas2002_36-0)** Srinivas, V. (2002). ["A large congregation of black-shouldered kite *Elanus caeruleus* at Ranthambore National Park"](https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48604195). *Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society*. **99** (2): 297.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Ransom1904_37-0)** Ransom, B.H. (1904). [*Manson's eye worm of chickens*](https://archive.org/details/mansonseyewormof00rommiala). USDA, Washington. p. [42](https://archive.org/details/mansonseyewormof00rommiala/page/42).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-38)** Gupta, N. K.; Mehrotra, V. (1970). "Neodiplostomum (Neodiplostomum) elani n.sp. from Elanus caeruleus (Desfontaines) at Chandigarh". *Research Bulletin of the Panjab University*. **21** (3/4): 329–332.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-39)** Clay., Theresa (1 March 1958). "Three New Species of Degeeriella Neumann (mallophaga) from the Falconiformes (aves)". *Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London B*. **27** (1–2): 1–7. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1365-3113.1958.tb01512.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1365-3113.1958.tb01512.x). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1365-3113](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1365-3113).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-40)** Mendelsohn, J. M. (1983). "Causes of mortality in Black-shouldered Kites". *Bokmakierie*. **35**: 11–13.

## Other sources

- Hume, A.O. (1872). ["On the breeding of *Elanus Melanopterus*"](https://archive.org/stream/strayfeathersjou11873hume#page/21/mode/1up). *Stray Feathers*. **1** (1): 21–26.

- Hodgson, B.H. (1837). ["On the structure and habits of the *Elanus melanopterus*"](https://archive.org/stream/madrasjournalofl6183madr#page/75/mode/1up). *Madras Journal of Literature and Science*. **6**: 75–78.

- Goriup, P.D. (1981). "Observations on a pair of Black-winged Kites (Elanus cueruleus) in eastern Portugal". *Arquivos Museu Bocage*. **1**: 65–79.

- Naoroji, Rishad (1986). ["Communal gathering of Blackwinged Kites (*Elanus caeruleus vociferus*)"](https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48772390). *Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society*. **83** (Supp): 200–201.

- Harris, T.; Walters, C. (1982). "Chromosomal sexing of the Black Shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus) (Aves: Accipitridae)". *Genetica*. **60** (1): 19–20. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/BF00121451](https://doi.org/10.1007%2FBF00121451). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [29310017](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:29310017).

## External links

- [(Black-winged Kite or ) Black-shouldered Kite species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds](http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/127.pdf)

- ["Common Black-shouldered Kite media"](https://www.hbw.com/ibc/species/common-black-shouldered-kite-elanus-caeruleus). *[Internet Bird Collection](/source/Internet_Bird_Collection)*.

- [Ageing and sexing (PDF; 0.95 MB) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze](https://web.archive.org/web/20141202061242/http://aulaenred.ibercaja.es/wp-content/uploads/103_Black-wingedKiteEcaeruleus.pdf)

- [Black-shouldered Kite photo gallery](https://vireo.acnatsci.org/search.html?Form=Search&SEARCHBY=Common&KEYWORDS=Black-shouldered+Kite&showwhat=images&AGE=All&SEX=All&ACT=All&Search=Search&VIEW=All&ORIENTATION=All&RESULTS=24) at VIREO (Drexel University)

- [Interactive range map of *Elanus caeruleus*](http://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22695028/210511024) at [IUCN Red List](http://www.iucnredlist.org)

- [Original species description by Desfontaines](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28011233) (in French, 1787), with illustration [pl. 15](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28011233#page/627/)

- Illustrations, [plate 36](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/129355#page/236/) and [pl. 37](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/129355#page/239/), with description in French by Levaillant (1799).

Taxon identifiers Elanus caeruleus Wikidata: Q27227 Wikispecies: Elanus caeruleus ADW: Elanus_caeruleus Avibase: 97C47F3E1BA4129A BioLib: 8502 BirdLife: 22695028 BOLD: 102639 BOW: bkskit1 CoL: 38YJ7 eBird: bkskit1 EUNIS: 1017 EURING: 2350 Fauna Europaea: 96686 Fauna Europaea (new): 440134f1-9690-4ecc-a409-baf9bbcd2657 GBIF: 2480372 IBC: common-black-shouldered-kite-elanus-caeruleus iNaturalist: 5275 IRMNG: 10589118 ITIS: 175284 IUCN: 22695028 NBN: NHMSYS0000533071 NCBI: 387830 Observation.org: 1385 Open Tree of Life: 192480 Species+: 5760 Xeno-canto: Elanus-caeruleus

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Black-winged kite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-winged_kite) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-winged_kite?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.