Elanus caeruleus
Silhouette: Catherine Yasuda · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
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 →
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Safari World | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 2 | Bandung Zoo | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 3 | Dullstroom Bird Of Prey & Rehabilitation Centre | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Kuala Lumpur Bird Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 5 | Zoo del Pirineu | 🇪🇸 Spain |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-winged Kite sighting in Kruger National Park on a given day, based on 1,271 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 130th most-seen of the 464 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December to May
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Black-winged Kite in Kruger National Park on a given day, against about 10% in June to November, the lowest months. Those are among Kruger National Park's wettest months, with about 60 mm of rain a month against almost none in August.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-winged Kite sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
30th of 85
Of the 85 parks where we can rate Black-winged Kite sightings, Kruger National Park ranks 30th at about 10%. The best odds are in West Coast National Park (South Africa, about 70%), Pilanesberg National Park (South Africa, about 40%) and Samburu National Reserve (Kenya, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the Black-winged Kite that you can see in Kruger National Park (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are African Fish-Eagle (about 50%), Bateleur (about 50%) and White-backed Vulture (about 50%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-winged Kite is recorded against all the birds logged in Kruger National Park (1,271 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
