The SwalloW-Xailed Kite {Elanoides forHcatus) 



By Joseph Grinnell 



Description. — Adult: Head and neck all around, rump, basal portion of 

 tertials, and entire under parts including lining of wings, white ; remaining 

 plumage black, — lustrous, with purplish reflections on back and scapulars, with 

 a glaucous or chalky cast on contiguous portions, bronzy or various elsewhere; 

 tail deeply forked, graduated ; bill bluish-black ; edges of mandibles, cere, and 

 feet pale blue; claws light. Young: Similar, but black not so lustrous; wing 

 and tail-feathers tipped with white ; head and neck streaked narrowly with black- 

 ish shaft-lines. Length 20.00-26.00 (508.-660.4) ; wing 15.50-17.75 (393.7-450.9) ; 

 tail (outer feathers) 11.00-14.50 (279.4-368.3) ; bill from nostril .76 (19.3). 



Recognition Marks. — Not readily comparable in size. Black and white in 

 masses; long wings and forked tail; exceedingly graceful flight. 



Nest, at great heights in trees, near extremity of branch, composed of sticks 

 and abundant green moss. Eggs, 2-4, white, greenish- or yellowish-white, 

 spotted, marbled, or clouded with hazel, chestnut, or mahogany. Av. size, 

 1.85 X 1.46 (47. X 37.1). 



Range. — United States, especially in the interior, from the Carolinas and 

 Minnesota southward, throughout Central and South America ; westward to 

 the Great Plains. Casual eastward to southern New England, and northward to 

 Manitoba and Assiniboia. Breeding range irregularly coincident with general 

 distribution in the United States. Accidental in England. 



NOTHING can compensate us for the loss of this exceedingly graceful 

 and highly beneficial bird, or atone for the criminal stupidity which has decreed 

 the extermination of it simply because of its size and hawk-like appearance. 

 Poultry raising is an important business, and requires rigid protection, but more 

 ornithological crimes have been committed in its name than in that of any other, 

 save fashion. The Swallow-tailed Kite feeds largely upon snakes, lizards, toads, 

 and insects — the latter caught almost exclusively upon the wing. In the South 

 it renders inestimable service through the destruction of the cotton worm. On 

 the other hand, it has never been known to molest poultry, although its chance 

 appearance above a chicken coop naturally causes indiscriminating fowls some 

 needless alarm. 



Described by Wilson as abundant on the extensive prairies of Ohio and 

 the Indian Territory, it has rapidly decreased in numbers until now it is only 

 ^'accidental." 



The wing development of the Swallow-tailed Kite and the everglade kite 

 is remarkable. Like the frigate bird and swifts, the wings extend far beyond the 

 tail. The Mississippi and white-tailed kites, two other American forms, have 

 less wing development, and their flight is more suggestive of the ordinary falcon. 

 In Europe the name kite is applied to birds which resemble our common hawks. 



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