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
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
and
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...
south to
Peru
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
,
Bolivia
Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
,
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
and northern
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
.
Description
The gray-headed kite is 46–53 cm in length and weighs 410-605 g. 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
The black-and-white hawk-eagle (''Spizaetus melanoleucus'', formerly ''Spizastur melanoleucus'') is a bird of prey species in the eagle and hawk family (biology), family (Accipitridae). It is found throughout a large part of tropical Americas, ...
(''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
The ornate hawk-eagle (''Spizaetus ornatus'') is a fairly large bird of prey from the Tropics, tropical Americas. Formerly, some authorities referred to this species as the crested hawk-eagle, a name that may cause some confusion as it is more co ...
(''Spizaetus ornatus''). The dark phase has a blackish head, neck and upper parts, and dark-streaked buff underparts closely resembling the
Black hawk-eagle
The black hawk-eagle (), also known as the tyrant hawk-eagle, is a species of eagle found from central Mexico through Central America into the south of Brazil to Colombia, eastern Peru, and as far as northern Argentina. There are two known subsp ...
(''Spizaetus tyrannus''). The sophistication in the mimicry of these juveniles is remarkable and has only been described a few times.
Ecology
The gray-headed kite feeds mainly on reptiles such as arboreal geckos, other lizards and snakes, but also takes frogs, molluscs and large insects (including larvae and combs of hornets, wasps and bees). It also feeds on eggs, young or injured birds.
[Ferguson-Lees, J. & Christie, D.A. & Franklin, K. & Mead, D. & Burton, P.. (2001). Raptors of the world. Helm Identification Guides.] It usually sits on an open high perch from which it swoops on its prey. The call is a mewling ''keow''. The nest is made of sticks lined with grass and is built high in a tree. The clutch is one or two white eggs, purplish at one end and spotted brown.
References
Further reading
*
*
* ''A guide to the birds of Costa Rica'' by Stiles and Skutch
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1260051
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, Bolivi ...
Birds of Central America
Birds of South America
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, Bolivi ...