Kites – Splendid Birds in Costa Rica (April 2026) 鸢– 哥斯达黎加的美丽鸟 (2026 年 4 月）

Costa Rica is home to at least four four resident and migratory kit species belonging to the Accipitridae family. I was lucky enough to spot three of them in the sky, although they were quite far away.

哥斯达黎加境内至少栖息着四种鹰科的留鸟与候鸟”鸢”。我有幸看到其中三种在天空中飞过，只可惜相距甚远。

The White-tailed Kite has striking, stark white underparts, gray wings, and bold black shoulder patches. It possesses exceptional hunting skills, frequently hovering completely still in mid-air above open grasslands to scan for rodents. I shot these photos on a drizzly, foggy day, so the image quality isn’t quite what I hoped for.

白尾鸢的特征非常鲜明：腹部洁白、双翼呈灰色，并带有醒目的黑色肩斑。它们具备卓越的猎食本领，常在开阔的草坪上空定点悬停，以此搜寻地面的哺乳动物。由于这些照片是在细雨迷蒙且大雾的天气下拍摄的，最终的成像效果有些不尽人意。

The Plumbeous Kite is a sleek, medium-sized raptor occasionally seen in Costa Rica, particularly during migration and in lowland forests near wetlands. Its smooth slate-gray plumage, darker wings, and slightly forked tail give it an elegant appearance in flight. This agile bird feeds mainly on insects, especially flying termites and dragonflies, catching prey with swift aerial maneuvers.

灰鸢（Plumbeous Kite）是一种体态修长的中型猛禽，在哥斯达黎加偶尔可见到，尤其是在迁徙季节以及湿地附近的低地森林中。它拥有光滑的石板灰色羽毛、颜色较深的翅膀和略微分叉的尾巴，使其在飞行时显得优雅而轻盈。这种敏捷的鸟类主要以昆虫为食，尤其喜食飞白蚁和蜻蜓，并凭借迅捷灵活的空中飞行技巧捕捉猎物。

The Swallow-tailed Kite is one of Costa Rica’s most striking birds of prey, admired for its graceful flight and distinctive deeply forked tail. Its glossy black upperparts contrast with its bright white head and underparts, making it easy to identify as it soars effortlessly above forests, rivers, and open countryside. This agile raptor feeds on insects, small reptiles, amphibians, and occasionally nestling birds, catching prey while gliding or swooping through the air.

燕尾鸢是哥斯达黎加最引人注目的猛禽之一，其优雅的飞行姿态和独特且深分叉的尾羽而赏心悦目。它富有光泽的黑色上体与洁白的头部及下体形成鲜明对比，这使其在森林、河流和开阔乡村上空轻松翱翔时，极易被认出。这种身手敏捷的猛禽以昆虫、小型爬行动物、两栖动物为食，偶尔也捕食雏鸟，通常在空中滑翔或俯冲时捕捉猎物。