Bird Guide

Booted Eagle vs Swallow-tailed Kite

Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus)

Booted Eagle

Hieraaetus pennatus

Large824 gForest

The booted eagle is a small eagle with a length of 40 cm (16 in) and a wingspan of 110–132 cm (43–52 in); males weigh about 510–770 g (18–27 oz) and females about 840–1,025 g (29.6–36.2 oz). There are two relatively distinct plumage forms; pale individuals are mainly light grey with a darker head and flight feathers. The other form has mid-brown plumage with dark grey flight feathers. These discrete colour morphs follow a Mendelian inheritance pattern, where the paler allele is dominant.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Thomas SIGNEAU · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Paulmathi Vinod · CC BY 4.0
Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus)

Swallow-tailed Kite

Elanoides forficatus

Large416 gForest

The species is 50 to 68 cm (20 to 27 in) in length, with a wingspan of approximately 1.12–1.36 m (3.7–4.5 ft). Male and female individuals appear similar. The body weight is 310–600 g (11–21 oz). The body is a contrasting deep black and white. The flight feathers, tail, feet, bill are all black. Another characteristic is the elongated, forked tail at 27.5–37 cm (10.8–14.6 in) long, hence the name swallow-tailed. The wings are also relatively elongated, as the wing chord measures 39–45 cm (15–18 in). The tarsus is fairly short for the size of the bird at 3.3 cm (1.3 in).

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Andy Morffew from Itchen Abbas, Hampshire, UK · CC BY 2.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Booted Eagle and Swallow-tailed Kite.