Gray-headed Kite (Leptodon cayanensis)

Order: Accipitriformes | Family: Accipitridae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

gray-headed_kite
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown \ Loc. Amazonia, Colombia

gray-headed_kite
Age: Juvenile | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Amazonia, Brazil

gray-headed_kite
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Amazonia, Brazil

gray-headed_kite
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Amazonia, Colombia

Identification & Behavior: ~45 cm (18 in). The adult Gray-headed Kite is white below and sooty-gray above. The ceres and lores are bare and bluish. The juvenile can be of a light or dark morph. The juvenile dark morph is dusky above and pale below with black streaks. The light morph is nearly identical to an adult Black-and-White Hawk-Eagle but is distinguished by smaller size, bare yellowish legs, and broad tail bands. Also, see White Hawk. It forages in the forest interior but soars frequently.

Related: Bird Molting

Status: The Gray-headed Kite is widespread and uncommon in Amazonia. It is known to range up to 600 m along the foothill of the Andes. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Elanio de Cabeza Gris.

Sub-species: Gray-headed Kite (Leptodon cayanensis cayanensis), Latham 1790.

Meaning of Name: Leptodon: Gr. Lept= thin, slender mites and odon= tooth. cayanensis= referring to Cayenne in French Guiana.

See more of the Family Accipitridae   peru aves

Distribution Map
gray-headed kiteVoice

References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum.  http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 01/01/2015.