Genus: Elanus
Description
Four species of small kites. They have large heads and eyes; plumage is white and grey with black on their pointed wings. The range of the genus is almost world-wide.
Taxonomy
Elanus is a genus in the family Accipitridae.
Identification
Normally easy because most species are allopatric. However, Black-shouldered and Letter-winged both occur in Australia. Species mainly differ by the underwing pattern (precise pattern of light and dark primaries and coverts), and whether or not the dark "mask" extends beyond the eyes.
| species | region | eye mask | underwing primaries | underwing rest of wing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black-winged Kite | Africa, Eurasia | extends past eye | dark | whitish primary coverts |
| Black-shouldered Kite | Australia | extends past eye | dark | dark alula and greater primary coverts. white median/lesser primary coverts |
| White-tailed Kite | Americas | not past eye | dusky | dark alula and median primary coverts. Other primary coverts whitish |
| Letter-winged Kite | Australia | not past eye | pale | pale-dusky alula. Dark greater and median secondary coverts, dark primary coverts (M- or W- shaped black bar) |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| E. caeruleus | Black-winged Kite | ||
| E. axillaris | Black-shouldered Kite | ||
| E. leucurus | White-tailed Kite | ||
| E. scriptus | Letter-winged Kite | ||
Pages in category ‘Elanus’
The following 4 pages are in this category, out of 4 total.
