The scientific name for the Swallow-tailed Kite, Elanoides
forficatus, is derived from the Greek: elanos meaning kite, oideous
which means resembling, and forficatus which translates as deeply
forked, referring to its long forked tail. Peering up from below
the swallow-tailed kite as it flies overhead you will see that its
underbelly, head, and the wing feathers closest to its body are white,
which is in sharp contrast to its wing tips, tail feathers and bill
which are black. The adults display greater contrasting color and
longer tail feathers than the juveniles, making it possible to
chronologically age them when they congregate in numbers.
This strikingly beautiful bird grows to be about 22-24 inches in
length with a wingspan of about 50 inches. In constant motion while
airborne, it uses its long, forked tail to maintain balance, while its
eagle-eye is on constant alert. This makes the Swallowtail kite a
formidable predator to the frogs, lizards, small fish, snakes,
nestlings, eggs and large insects that abound in its territory. Once
it catches its prey, it will usually eat it while continuing to fly in
the air, bending its head and neck down to reach its victim clutched in
its foot. It drinks by skimming the surface of water while collecting
the water in its bill. Sometimes you may hear kites soaring above emit
a high-pitched chirp or whistling sound, but usually they fly silently.
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