| Common Name | Swallow-tailed kite |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Elanoides forficatus |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 05/07/2024 |
| Media |  |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Nathalie Belleau |
| Mailing Address | 198 High Street Perkinsville, VT 05151 United States Map It |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Date Completed | 09/22/2024 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 43.3455441 |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | -72.5300622 |
| Place Name | Route 106 |
| Township | North Springfield |
| County | Windsor |
| Time of Day | 09:03 AM |
| Length of Time Observed | 2 minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 300 ft |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 200 ft |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | Blue spring sky with thermal activity. |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | iPhone camera |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | Never before observed in real life but recognized at first sight! |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Observed flying above road |
| Behaviors Observed | Soaring, gaining altitude quickly. Seemed to be on the move. |
| Description of Vocalizations | None |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | I was driving south on 106 and noticed an unusual bird soaring above. I pulled over to take a better look and saw what appeared to be a kite. I took a photo for identification and tried to take others but it gained altitude rapidly and it was getting too distant to get a better shot. |
| Wings | See photo |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | See photo |
| Tail | See photo |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | No similar species in VT |
| Other Notes & Comments | No |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Written from Memory |
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