Black-shouldered Kite

Elanus axillaris (Latham, 1801)

Accipitridae — Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Black-shouldered Kite, Elanus axillaris, is a bird of open country across Australia, apart from Tasmania, and breeds in Australasia. It is a small raptor in the Accipitridae family, first described by Latham in 1801. The adult is mainly grey and white, with bold black patches above the red eyes and on the wings, which give the bird its name. It can be mistaken for the letter-winged kite in Australia, but that species has black markings beneath the wings.

Order
Accipitriformes
Family
Accipitridae — Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Breeding range
Australasia: Australia (except Tasmania)
Black-shouldered Kite
© Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

11 tours in Spain 3, Tunisia 2, India 2, Portugal 2, Namibia 1, South Africa 1

Tunisia Spring Desert and Migration Birding Tour
Tunisia Spring Desert and Migration Birding Tour
Tunisia / Djerba Private tour 7 days

Follow a seven-day spring route from southern desert and Djerba wetlands to cork oak forest, combining North African specialties with early ...

Next: Mar 25, 2027
Northern India Birding Tour: Tigers, Birds and the Himalayas
Northern India Birding Tour: Tigers, Birds and the Himalayas
India / New Delhi Group tour 17 days

A 17-day northern India expedition combining wetland and Himalayan birding with Ranthambhore and Corbett wildlife safaris, the Chambal River...

From USD 9,565 Next: Jan 21, 2027
Tunisia Sunny Winter Desert and Djerba Birding Tour
Tunisia Sunny Winter Desert and Djerba Birding Tour
Tunisia / Djerba Private tour 6 days

Cross southern Tunisia over six winter days, beginning with Djerba’s tidal birdlife before moving through sandy desert, rocky country and ...

Next: Jan 10, 2027
Private 4-Day Almodovar Bustards and Eagles Stay
Private 4-Day Almodovar Bustards and Eagles Stay
Portugal / Almodovar Private tour 4 days

Three nights in Almodovar with two guided 4x4 birding days across the Alentejo steppes, including a seasonal night search for Red-necked Nig...

Private Half-Day Birding and Picnic in Almodovar
Private Half-Day Birding and Picnic in Almodovar
Portugal / Almodovar Private tour 6h

A relaxed half-day 4x4 birding outing across Almodovar's steppe country, with a picnic breakfast and searches for bustards, eagles and local...

From EUR 140
Early Morning Birding in Seville
Early Morning Birding in Seville
Spain / Seville Private tour 5h

A private five-hour early-morning birding outing near Seville during the main spring and summer season....

From EUR 210
Seville Countryside Private Birding Day Trip
Seville Countryside Private Birding Day Trip
Spain / Osuna Private tour 9h

A private birding day across Seville’s farmland, steppe and seasonal pools for bustards, sandgrouse and raptors....

From EUR 345
Western Doñana Private Birding Day Trip
Western Doñana Private Birding Day Trip
Spain / El Rocio Private tour 9h

A private birding day through western Doñana, with Mediterranean scrub, pinewoods, marshes and lagoons....

From EUR 345
Gujarat Birding and Wildlife Tour
Gujarat Birding and Wildlife Tour
India / Bhuj Private tour 14 days

Ahmedabad - Velavadar - Gir National Park - Jamnagar - Great Rann of Kutch - Little Rann of Kutch - Ahmedabad...

Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls with Birding Ecotours
Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls with Birding Ecotours
Namibia / Walvis Bay Group tour 18 days

An 18-day birding expedition from Namibia's Atlantic coast through Etosha and the Okavango Panhandle to Victoria Falls, combining desert nea...

From USD 10,206
Private 3-Day Agulhas Plains Birding Trip with Birding Ecotours
Private 3-Day Agulhas Plains Birding Trip with Birding Ecotours
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 3 days

A private three-day journey from Cape Town across mountain fynbos and the Overberg to De Hoop, built around cranes, bustards, larks and regi...

From ZAR 17,920