Elanid kite
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009) |
| Elanid kites | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Swallow-tailed Kite | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Subfamily: | Elaninae |
| Genera | |
An elanid kite, sometimes white-tailed kite, is any of several small, long-winged, hovering raptors. All are specialist rodent hunters and most are members of the genus Elanus. Some authorities list the group as a formal subfamily, Elaninae. As a subfamily there are eight species in five genera with four of these genera being monotypic.
Elanid kites have a near-worldwide distribution, with three endemic species found in the Americas, two in Australia, one each in Africa and southern Asia, while the Black-winged Kite is found over a vast range from Europe and Africa in the west to Southeast Asia in the east.
[edit] Species
- Genus Elanus
- Black-winged Kite, Elanus caeruleus
- Black-shouldered Kite, Elanus axillaris
- White-tailed Kite, Elanus leucurus
- Letter-winged Kite, Elanus scriptus
- Genus Chelictinia
- Scissor-tailed Kite, Chelictinia riocourii
- Genus Machaerhamphus
- Bat Hawk, Machaerhamphus alcinus
- Genus Gampsonyx
- Pearl Kite, Gampsonyx swainsonii
- Genus Elanoides
- Swallow-tailed Kite, Elanoides forficatus
 |
This Falconiformes article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
