Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks
Scissor-tailed Kite
Chelictinia riocourii
VUVulnerable
- Family
- Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks (Accipitridae)
- Order
- Accipitriformes
Overview
The scissor-tailed kite (Chelictinia riocourii), also known commonly as the African swallow-tailed kite and the fork-tailed kite, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is the only species placed in the genus Chelictinia. It is widespread in the northern tropics of Africa.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Savanna of sub-Saharan Africa.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Scissor-tailed kite
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
