Unmistakable and supremely elegant, the swallow-tailed kite is a regular summer visitor that returns to South America in August. Look for them soaring effortlessly on a hot afternoon. They have bold black and white plumage and long, forked tails. Their typical diet is flying insects, but they’ll sometimes snatch a lizard, snake or even a small bird from the treetops, which they’ll eat on the go. Photo by Michael Warren.