Gray-headed Kite

Leptodon cayanensis

Silhouette: PhyloPic · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
GenusLeptodon (Leptodon Kites)
SpeciesLeptodon cayanensis (Gray-headed Kite)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Caroni Swamp

3 Verified sightings at Caroni Swamp From 2019 to 2026

3,879 Verified sightings across all 60 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Gray-headed Kite

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, Brazil and northern Argentina.

The gray-headed kite is 46–53 cm in length and weighs 410–605 grams (.9–1.3 lb) 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 three 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, closely resembling the Black-and-white hawk-eagle (Spizaetus melanoleucus). The rufous phase has a reddish neck with a white throat, black malar stripes and a black, long crest closely resembling the adult Ornate hawk-eagle (Spizaetus ornatus). The dark phase has a blackish head, neck and upper parts, and dark-streaked buff underparts closely resembling the Black hawk-eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus). The sophistication in the mimicry of these juveniles is remarkable and... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Caroni Swamp

Buteogallus anthracinus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Circus buffoni

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Buteogallus aequinoctialis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Buteo brachyurus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Buteo albonotatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Buteo nitidus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Buteogallus meridionalis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Geranospiza caerulescens

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Gampsonyx swainsonii

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Rostrhamus sociabilis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Ictinia plumbea

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Pandion haliaetus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
2	Brownsberg Nature Park	🇸🇷 Suriname	~10%
3	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
4	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
5	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
6	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
7	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
8	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
9	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
10	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
11	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
12	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
13	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
14	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
15	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
16	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
17	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	<5%
18	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
19	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
20	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
21	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	<5%
22	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
23	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
24	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
25	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
26	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
27	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
28	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
29	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
30	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
31	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
32	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
33	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
34	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
35	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
36	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
37	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
38	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
39	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
40	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
41	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
42	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
43	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
44	Noel Kempff Mercado National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	Insufficient data
45	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	Insufficient data
46	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
47	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
48	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
49	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
50	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
51	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
52	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	Insufficient data
53	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	Insufficient data
54	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
55	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
56	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
57	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
58	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
59	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
60	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

← Back to Caroni Swamp

Gray-headed Kite

About the Gray-headed Kite

Recent sightings of Gray-headed Kite in Caroni Swamp

Closest Relatives at Caroni Swamp

Common Black-Hawk

Long-winged Harrier

Rufous Crab Hawk

Short-tailed Hawk

Zone-tailed Hawk

Gray-lined Hawk

Savanna Hawk

Crane Hawk

Pearl Kite

Snail Kite

Plumbeous Kite

Osprey

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found