Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
GenusElanus (Elanus Kites)
SpeciesElanus caeruleus (Black-winged Kite)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Sepilok

2 Verified sightings at Sepilok From 2019 to 2026

15,171 Verified sightings across all 99 parks From 2019 to 2026

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

About the Black-winged Kite

The black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus), also known as the black-shouldered kite (not to be confused with the closely related Australian species of the same name), is a small diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae best known for its habit of hovering over open grasslands in the manner of the much smaller kestrels. This Palearctic and Afrotropical species was sometimes combined with the Australian black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris) and the white-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus) of North and South America which together form a superspecies. This kite is distinctive, with long wings; white, grey and black plumage; and owl-like forward-facing eyes with red irises. The owl-like behaviour is even more pronounced in the letter-winged kite (Elanus scriptus), a nocturnal relative in Australia. Although mainly seen on plains, they are sometimes seen on grassy slopes of hills in the higher elevation regions of Asia. They are not migratory, but show nomadism in response to weather and food availability. They are well adapted to utilize periodic upsurges in rodent populations and can raise multiple broods in a single year unlike most birds of prey. Populations in southern Europe have grown in response to human activities, particularly agriculture and livestock rearing. It is now present in Southwest France. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Sepilok

Nisaetus nanus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Haliastur indus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

LC Endemic

Spilornis cheela

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Haliaeetus leucogaster

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

LC Endemic

Nisaetus cirrhatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Lophotriorchis kienerii

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Pernis ptilorhynchus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Macheiramphus alcinus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Ictinaetus malayensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Nisaetus alboniger

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Aviceda jerdoni

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Icthyophaga ichthyaetus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~40%
2	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~40%
3	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~40%
4	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~30%
5	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~30%
6	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~30%
7	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~30%
8	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
9	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
10	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
11	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
12	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~20%
13	Horton Plains National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~20%
14	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
15	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
16	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
17	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
18	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
19	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
20	Kerinci Seblat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~20%
21	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
22	Way Kambas National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~20%
23	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
24	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
25	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
26	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
27	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
28	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
29	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
30	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~10%
31	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
32	Golden Gate Highlands National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
33	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
34	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
35	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
36	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
37	Eravikulam National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
38	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
39	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
40	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
41	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
42	Khao Yai National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~10%
43	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
44	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~10%
45	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
46	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
47	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
48	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
49	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
50	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
51	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
52	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
53	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	<5%
54	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
55	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
56	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
57	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
58	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	<5%
59	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
60	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
61	Mudumalai National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
62	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	<5%
63	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	<5%
64	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
65	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	<5%
66	Sierra Nevada National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
67	Minneriya National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	<5%
68	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
69	Namdapha National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
70	Cévennes National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
71	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	<5%
72	Sundarbans National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
73	Semuliki National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
74	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
75	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
76	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
77	Royal Manas National Park	🇧🇹 Bhutan	<5%
78	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	<5%
79	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
80	Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
81	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
82	Tanjung Puting National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
83	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	Insufficient data
84	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	Insufficient data
85	Gunung Leuser National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
86	Bale Mountains National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	Insufficient data
87	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	Insufficient data
88	Bali Barat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
89	Volcanoes National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
90	Khao Sok National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	Insufficient data
91	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	Insufficient data
92	Taman Negara National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data
93	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
94	Doi Inthanon National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	Insufficient data
95	Kinabalu Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data
96	Sepilok	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data
97	Cat Tien National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	Insufficient data
98	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	Insufficient data
99	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	Insufficient data

← Back to Sepilok

Black-winged Kite

About the Black-winged Kite

Closest Relatives at Sepilok

Wallace's Hawk-Eagle

Brahminy Kite

Crested Serpent Eagle

White-Bellied Sea-Eagle

Crested Hawk-Eagle

Rufous-bellied Eagle

Oriental Honey-buzzard

Bat Hawk

Black Eagle

Blyth's Hawk-Eagle

Jerdon's Baza

Gray-headed Fish-Eagle

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found