Plumbeous Kite

Ictinia plumbea

Photo by Rogerio Ara�jo Dias

Location: Luzinia -Brazil

Identification

The Plumbeous Kite, Ictinia plumbea, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks and Old World vultures. It is typically 33-38cm long and weighs 190-280g. It is not particularly gregarious, although often seen in flocks on migration.

The Plumbeous Kite has long, pointed wings. Adults are mainly slate-grey, with a paler head and underparts. The short black tail has 2-3 white bands. The eyes are red and the legs are orange. In flight, this kite shows a rufous primary patch.

Sexes are similar, but immature birds have white-streaked grey upperparts and dark-streaked whitish underparts. They lack the rufous wing patch. The call of Plumbeous Kite is a whistled si-see-oo.

Distribution

The Plumbeous Kite breeds in the tropical New World, from eastern Mexico through Central America to Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. It also breeds on Trinidad.

Birds in the north and south of the breeding range, including the populations in Central America, Trinidad, northern Venezuela and Colombia, and southern Argentina and Brazil, are migratory, moving into tropical South America in the northern winter.

Habitat

This is a bird of lowland forest and savannah.

Behaviour

It builds a stick nest in a tree and lays 1-2 blue-white eggs. The flight is slow, with frequent glides, and the prey is almost exclusively insects taken in the air. This kite often perches conspicuously on dead branches, with its long wings projecting well beyond the tail.

The diet of the Plumbeous Kite consists chiefly of large flying insects, but smaller insects, such as flying termites, are also taken. Most insects are caught in the feet. This is supplemented by snails and occasionally, or in some situations, it takes both warm- and cold-blooded small vertebrates.

Mating commences almost immediately on arrival at the breeding grounds, often with no preliminary courtship display. Nests are built in suitable trees, including mangrove, at various heights above the ground or water. The nests vary in construction - they may be made flimsily of twigs lined with smaller twigs, or a bulky shallow saucer. One or two eggs are laid. They are white with a faint bluish tinge. Laying dates vary across the range. Both parents feed the young, one, presumably the female, spending much of the time 'standing guard' in the top of the nesting tree; this individual also broods the young at night. Other birds, including toucans and vultures, are chased away when they approach the nest. In weather when the parents can soar and easily catch insects, the young may be fed as often as ten times an hour, which, for a bird of prey, is very high.

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