Elanus axillaris
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris), also known as the Australian black-shouldered kite, is a small raptor found in open habitats throughout Australia. It resembles similar species found in Africa, Eurasia and North America, including the black-winged kite, a species that has in the past also been called "black-shouldered kite". Measuring around 35 cm (14 in) in length, with a wingspan of 80–100 cm (31–39 in), the adult black-shouldered kite has predominantly grey-white plumage and prominent black markings above its red eyes. It gains its name from the black patches on its wings. The primary call is a clear whistle, uttered in flight and while hovering. It can be confused with the related letter-winged kite in Australia, which is distinguished by the striking black markings under its wings.
The species forms monogamous pairs, breeding between August and January. The birds engage in aerial courtship displays which involve high circling flight and ritualised feeding mid-air. Three or four eggs are laid and incubated for around thirty days. Chicks are fully fledged within five weeks of hatching and can hunt for mice within a week of leaving the nest. Juveniles disperse widely from their home territory. The black-shouldered kite hunts in open grasslands, searching for its prey by hovering and systematically scanning the ground. It mainly eats small rodents, particularly the introduced house mouse, and has benefitted from the modification of the Australian landscape by agriculture. It is rated as least concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s Red List of Threatened Species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Range | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Flinders Chase | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Rottnest Island | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 13 | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 15 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 16 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 17 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-shouldered Kite sighting in Rottnest Island on a given day, based on 26 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 56th most-seen of the 81 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Black-shouldered Kite in Rottnest Island on a given day, against under 5% in February–March, August–October and December, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-shouldered Kite sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 17 parks where we can rate Black-shouldered Kite sightings, Rottnest Island ranks 6th at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Cape Range (Australia, about 10%), Ningaloo Marine Park (Australia, about 10%) and Great Otway National Park (Australia, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-shouldered Kite is recorded against all the birds logged in Rottnest Island (26 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.
