#elanus scriptus

[squawkoverflow]

A new variant has been added!

Letter-winged Kite (Elanus scriptus) © Steve Murray

It hatches from black, small, striking, and white eggs.

squawkoverflow - the ultimate bird collecting game          🥚 hatch    ❤️ collect     🤝 connect

[podartists]

Elanus scriptus | Elizabeth Gould (1804-1841) | The Birds of Australia. v.1 | rawpixel

[birdstudies]

September 21, 2016 - Letter-winged Kite (Elanus scriptus)

Requested by: @gepwin​

These kites are found in arid regions of central Australia, their range expanding toward the coasts when food is plentiful. They prey on marsupials and small rodents, especially Long-haired Rats, and are the only kite species that hunts at night. Their wing feathers are similar to those of owls, allowing them to fly almost silently when hunting. Opportunistic breeders, they nest whenever food is plentiful in breeding colonies that range from 2 to 100 pairs. Females incubate the eggs and feed the chicks, while males bring them food. They are classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to the periodically low populations that occur when food is scarce, which may leave them vulnerable to other threats.