African Swallow-Tailed Kite in Uganda

The African Swallow Tailed Kite is a small bird of prey which falls under the Accipitriformes order and accipitridae family in the monotypic genus chelictinia.

Scientifically, the bird species in Uganda is known as the Chelictinia riocourii which is widely spread throughout the Northern Tropics of Africa.

This bird species which is also termed as the Scissor Tailed Kite inhabits a wide range of African Sahel Arid Savannah region that mainly occurs in a band between 8 to 15 degrees North which stretches from Senegal in the West Coast to Sudan in East.

The African Swallow Tailed Kite breeds within Uganda, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Togo, Burkina, Liberia, Niger, Mali and the African Republic. Thus, this bird species can be seen during Uganda birding safaris & tours.

This kite species was illustrated by Coenraad Temminck in 1821 for a work where by it was further in the year of 1822 described by Louis Vieillot hence being grouped with Elanus Kites that is the larger American Swallow tailed kite in Rene Lesson of 1843 which was assigned to separate Chelictinia, genus.

Physical description and behavior of the African Swallow Tailed Kite

Physically, the African Swallow Tailed Kite is a small bird species that features slim grey colour and a white-like kite hence having a relatively weak bill. This bird is characterized with a deeply forked tail and a broad head along with pointed wings.

The adult Scissor Tailed Kite generally bares a pale greyish colour above and white underneath or below. It is also characterised with reddish coloured eyes and a white fore head that comprises of a black patch around the eyes.

African Swallow Tailed Kite comprises of flight feathers that are dark greyish in colour which contrast while in flight with the inner underwing edges hence reflecting a black bar across the carpal that is obvious.

Juvenile African Swallow Tailed Kite features a darker coloured back which do comprise of rufous edges to the feathers hence creamier below. This bird species comprises of a distinctive flight and an almost tern like thereby hovering like a Kestrel frequently into the wind.

Behaviour, Breeding and Reproduction process of the African Swallow Tailed Kite

During the breeding season, the African Swallow Tailed Kite mainly feeds on lizards, skinks, rodents, arthropods and small snakes. While hunting, this bird species doesnot catch prey in while in flight mostly the insects flushed by grass fires. It hunts on wings thereby dropping onto prey.

Generally the Scissor Tailed Kite gathers together with other species when termites and locust swarms hence loose flocks do associate with cattle.

This bird species breeds in loose colonies of about 20 pairs and this season occurs in May to August and March to August in East Africa. While breeding, both male and female African Swallow Tailed Kite participate in the construction of a small sticked nest which is always built on acacia, building along with thorny bush and set at about 2 to 8 meters from the the ground.

The African swallow Tailed Kite is spotted while birding in Uganda and African birding tours offering a unique experience.