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The letter-winged Kite (Elanus scriptus) #Letterwingedkite #australianbirds #raptors #raptor #elanus The Letter-winged Kite is an iconic Australian Raptor that lives in remote desert areas. There is so much that is unique about this bird and it’s status is almost mythical among birders. The fact that they hunt nocturnally is in itself fascinating and they are reliant on the Long-haired Rat population as their main diet. This desert species (Rattus villosissimus ) have a ‘boom-bust cycle and in the boom years, the Kites breed in loose colonies, often along dry creek beds. Following these successful years, the rat population often crashes and leaves the Kites searching for food. Unfortunately, many Kites starve to death and their numbers plummet. Feral cats are also a big threat to their survival as they predate on the eggs and nestlings. Some colonies have been wiped out by these introduced predators. My own personal quest to find and film this species has spanned 2
