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Letter-winged KiteSize: 30-36 cm; wing span 85-95 cm Weight: 280-300 g |
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Similar species |
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Taxonomy, classification |
See Letter-winged Kite
at Wikipedia 
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Range, habitat |
(for details refer to a field guide) |
Letter-winged Kites are endemic to Australia. They are NOT found in an area spanning from Arnhemland in the NT, a fringe of about 200 km width around the Gulf of Carpentaria and all of Cape York. Their core habitat (during the breeding season) is in the semi-arid part more than 200 km south of the Gulf of Carpentaria to about Innamincka. Outside the breeding season they disperse in all directions (except the regions mentioned above), especially north-eastward to the tropical north of the NT. Given the right conditions (availability of prey) they can disperse further to anywhere else on the continent (except Tasmania).
Letter-winged Kites hunt in desert grassland and along inland water courses.
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Sightings |
Letter-winged Kites are much less common in the Narrabri region than Black-shouldered Kites, but have been seen by us a number of times nevertheless. Unfortunately, we could manage only one distant photo up to now, which does not even make the identification unique. The adult birds accompanying the juvenile were identified by eye without doubt.
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Photos |
Juvenile Letter-winged Kite perched on a treetop
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Food |
| Adults: Long-haired Rats | Dependents: As adults | Water intake: None |
All raptors are carnivores. The Letter-winged Kite is special, because it is the only fully nocturnal raptor.
During the first few weeks, raptors feed their chicks with pieces of meat. Later on in their development, the chicks learn to tear apart their parents' prey.
