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Elanoides forficatus (Linnaeus, 1758) Family: Accipitridae Order: Falconiformes print version
Swallow-tailed kite Milan à queue fourchue Elanio tijereta Schwalbenweih
Migration: partial intercontinental

Verbreitungskarte von Elanoides forficatus Migratory in N and S of range. In late Jul/early Aug, large concentrations at communal night roosts (over 1300 birds leaving one morning) at Lake Okeechobee, Florida, apparently a staging post prior to southward migration; departs from Peten by end Aug. Arrives in Costa Rica in Jan, all birds disappearing by Jul or early Aug. Arrives in Florida in Mar, in Peten in early Feb. Birds ringed in USA have been shot while wintering in S and SE Brazil. Over most of South American range, unclear where species is resident and where only migrant, as very few breeding records; birds in breeding condition in SE Colombia (Vaupes), but otherwise most of Colombian birds may be migrants. In Amazonia, only one nest reported on upper R Negro, Brazil, although species doubtless breeds in the region. Nomadic at least in parts of South America over rain forest. Wanders to 2600 m in Andes of Colombia, and recorded at 5000 m near Lima, Peru. Accidental in Bahamas.   (del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J (eds), 1994)


Regions: Caribbean Islands, Mesoamerica, North America, South America
Recommended link: http://www.hawk- conservancy.org/priors/stkite.htm
Feedback: mail to Klaus Riede
(Last update: 05.03.04 by E.Heuel)