White-tailed Kite
White-tailed Kite has collapsed: down 76% on the route-weighted index since 1970.
About the White-tailed Kite
The White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus) is a North American member of the Hawks, Eagles & Kites (Accipitridae). In this analysis it is grouped with the birds of prey.
- Size
- 17.5–39.5 in long (45–100 cm) — a medium to large raptor (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Open country, woodlands, cliffs and wetlands, hunting from the air or a high perch.
- Diet
- Live prey — small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and large insects (carrion for vultures).
- Range
- Recorded on 161 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 9 states, most concentrated in the Coastal California.
- Family
- Accipitridae · Birds of prey
Notable White-tailed Kite Trends
No notable trend signals for White-tailed Kite. See the full index history below.
White-tailed Kite Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, White-tailed Kite is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.00 (95% range 0.00–0.02). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±77.8%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 |
| 2026 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 |
| 2027 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 |
| 2028 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 |
| 2029 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 |
Where the White-tailed Kite Is Detected
BBS routes recording White-tailed Kite, sized by most recent count.
White-tailed Kite Population Trend by State
| Arizona | -57% | 1995 | 4 |
| California | -81% | 1970 | 91 |
| Florida | insufficient data | n/a | 5 |
| Louisiana | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| New Mexico | insufficient data | n/a | 7 |
| Oklahoma | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| Oregon | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| Texas | -24% | 1973 | 43 |
| Washington | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
White-tailed Kite Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | -63% | 1972 | 17 |
| Oaks and Prairies | -68% | 1980 | 12 |
| Coastal California | -73% | 1970 | 78 |
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | +7% | 1975 | 15 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | -36% | 1976 | 11 |
White-tailed Kite Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 76% since 1970.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.