Gray-headed Kite

Gray-headed Kite

Taxobox
name = Gray-headed Kite
status = LC
status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Falconiformes
familia = Accipitridae
genus = "Leptodon"
species = "L. cayanensis"
binomial = "Leptodon cayanensis"
binomial_authority = (Latham, 1790)

The Gray-headed Kite, "Leptodon cayanensis", is a raptor found in open woodland and swamp forests. It shares the genus "Leptodon" with the extremely rare White-collared Kite. It breeds from eastern Mexico and Trinidad south to Peru, Bolivia and northern Argentina.

The nest is made of sticks lined with grass and is built high in a tree. The clutch is one or two white eggs, purplish at one end and spotted brown.

The Gray-headed Kite is 46-53 cm in length and weighs 410-605 g. The adult has a grey head, black upperparts, white underparts, and a black tail with two or three white bars. The bill is blue and the legs grey. The flight is a deliberate "flap-flap-glide".

Immature birds have two colour morphs; the light phase is similar to the adult, but has a white head and neck, with a black crown and eyestripe, black bill and yellow legs. The dark phase has a blackish head, neck and upperparts, and dark-streaked buff underparts.

The Gray-headed Kite feeds mainly on reptiles, but also takes frogs and large insects. It usually sits on an open high perch from which it swoops on its prey. The call is a mewling "keow".

References

* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
*cite book
last = ffrench
first = Richard
title = A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago
edition = 2nd edition
year = 1991
publisher = Comstock Publishing
isbn = 0-8014-9792-2
*cite book
last = Hilty
first = Steven L
title = Birds of Venezuela
publisher = Christopher Helm
date = 2003
location = London
isbn = 0-7136-6418-5
* "A guide to the birds of Costa Rica" by Stiles and Skutch ISBN 0-8014-9600-4


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • White kite — White White (hw[imac]t), a. [Compar. {Whiter} (hw[imac]t [ e]r); superl. {Whitest}.] [OE. whit, AS. hw[imac]t; akin to OFries. and OS. hw[=i]t, D. wit, G. weiss, OHG. w[=i]z, hw[=i]z, Icel. hv[=i]tr, Sw. hvit, Dan. hvid, Goth. hweits, Lith.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • List of birds of Brazil — Brazil has one of the richest bird diversities in the world, with more than 1700 species of birds, about 57% of the bird species recorded for all of South America. These numbers are still increasing, almost every year, due to new occurrences or… …   Wikipedia

  • List of birds of Colombia — This is a list of the bird species recorded in Colombia. The avifauna of Colombia includes a total of 1895 species, of which 74 are endemic, 2 have been introduced by humans, and 87 are rare or accidental. 1 species listed is extirpated in… …   Wikipedia

  • List of birds of Venezuela — This is a list of the bird species recorded in Venezuela. The avifauna of Venezuela includes a total of 1417 species, of which 48 are endemic, 6 have been introduced by humans, and 34 are rare or accidental. 27 species are globally… …   Wikipedia

  • List of birds of Ecuador — This is a list of the bird species recorded in Ecuador. The avifauna of Ecuador includes a total of 1663 species, of which 16 are endemic, 2 have been introduced by humans, and 19 are rare or accidental. 77 species are globally threatened.This… …   Wikipedia

  • List of birds of Peru — This is a list of the bird species recorded in Peru. The avifauna of Peru includes a total of 1879 species, of which 139 are endemic, 3 have been introduced by humans, and 72 are rare or accidental. 91 species are globally threatened.This list s… …   Wikipedia

  • List of birds of Bolivia — This is a list of the bird species recorded in Bolivia. The avifauna of Bolivia includes a total of 1448 species, of which 25 are endemic, 2 have been introduced by humans, and 12 are rare or accidental. 31 species are globally threatened.This… …   Wikipedia

  • List of birds of Panama — This is a list of the bird species recorded in Panama. The avifauna of Panama includes a total of 972 species, of which 12 are endemic, 6 have been introduced by humans, and 120 are rare or accidental. 20 species are globally threatened. The… …   Wikipedia

  • List of birds of Argentina — This is a list of the bird species recorded in Argentina. The avifauna of Argentina includes a total of 1026 species, of which 20 are endemic, 7 have been introduced by humans, and 70 are rare or accidental. 45 species are globally… …   Wikipedia

  • List of birds of Guyana — This is a list of the bird species recorded in Guyana. The avifauna of Guyana includes a total of 796 species, of which 1 is endemic and 94 are rare or accidental. 3 species listed are extirpated in Guyana and are not included in the species… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”