General Description
Upper body pale grey with black patches on the shoulders, underparts and head white. Young birds with head and neck red-brown. Body up to 40 cm long.
Biology
Black-shouldered Kites hover singly or in pairs above open pastures and fields, hunting for small rodents, reptiles and insects.
Habitat
Croplands and grasslands.
Coastal shores
Distribution guide
Mainly south-eastern Australia.
Species Group
Depth
Water Column
Max Size
40 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Commercial Species
No
Global Dispersal
Native to Australia
Conservation Status
- DSE Advisory List : Not listed
- EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
- IUCN Red List : Least Concern
Author
Wayne Longmore is a Senior Collection manager of terrestrial vertebrates at Museum Victoria.
Author
Rory O'Brien is a Collection Manager of terrestrial vertebrates at Museum Victoria.
Cite this page as:
Longmore, N. W. & O'Brien, R., 2011, Black-shouldered Kite, Elanus axillaris, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/7891
