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 Ostional Wildlife Refuge

3 Verified sightings at Ostional Wildlife Refuge 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 Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Buteogallus anthracinus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Buteo platypterus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Rupornis magnirostris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Geranospiza caerulescens

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Harpagus bidentatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Buteo brachyurus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Buteo nitidus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Buteogallus urubitinga

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Ictinia plumbea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Buteo albonotatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Buteo albicaudatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Chondrohierax uncinatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

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 Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Gray-headed Kite

About the Gray-headed Kite

Recent sightings of Gray-headed Kite in Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Closest Relatives at Ostional Wildlife Refuge

Common Black-Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Roadside Hawk

Crane Hawk

Double-toothed Kite

Short-tailed Hawk

Gray-lined Hawk

Great Black-Hawk

Plumbeous Kite

Zone-tailed Hawk

White-tailed Hawk

Hook-billed Kite

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found