American Swallow-tailed Kite
Elanoides forficatus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderAccipitriformes
- FamilyAccipitridae (Accipítrids)
- GenusElanoides (Swallow-tailed Kites)
- SpeciesElanoides forficatus (American Swallow-tailed Kite)
The swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus) is a pernine raptor which breeds from the southeastern United States to eastern Peru and northern Argentina. It is the only species in the genus Elanoides. Most North and Central American breeders winter in South America where the species is resident year round. Wikipedia →
<5% of wildlife watchers report a American Swallow-tailed Kite sighting in Iguazú National Park, based on 155 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Iguazú National Park
Roadside Hawk
Rupornis magnirostris
Plumbeous Kite
Ictinia plumbea
Snail Kite
Rostrhamus sociabilis
Short-tailed Hawk
Buteo brachyurus
Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle
Spizaetus melanoleucus
Tiny Hawk
Accipiter superciliosus
Black-collared Hawk
Busarellus nigricollis
Rufous-thighed Kite
Harpagus diodon
Gray-headed Kite
Leptodon cayanensis
Great Black-Hawk
Buteogallus urubitinga
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
Pearl Kite
Gampsonyx swainsonii
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a American Swallow-tailed Kite in Iguazú National Park?
About 4% of wildlife watchers report a American Swallow-tailed Kite sighting in Iguazú National Park, based on 155 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see American Swallow-tailed Kite in Iguazú National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for American Swallow-tailed Kite in Iguazú National Park in our monthly data.