Species Assessment:
White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)

The 10-year migration count trends for the White-tailed Kite suggest increased populations as signaled by the one spring count site in the Gulf Region that recorded an average of 2,072 individuals in Bentsen Rio Grande, Texas. Twenty-year count trends suggested stable counts during the spring but a decrease in the fall counts (Gulf Region: 1 stable, 1 decrease). Winter survey data from the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) show decreased 10-year trends range-wide with the annual percent change in population reported to be almost -6%. Decreased observations were reported along the West Coast and the Gulf Region, with the exception of Florida, which reported an increase in observations by almost 3%. The White-tailed Kite is a species of Least Concern, designated by IUCN red list. Protected grassland areas that support large populations of voles attract this species in the West. Nest success is unlikely when located within close proximity to human developed landscapes. More research is needed to determine the effects of human activity on the species and very little management has been implemented to protect this species.

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