This lifeform is generally found west of the Continental Divide in North America This lifeform is found widely in the New World tropics.

White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus) is found in the New World in both North and South America. Although this species used to be found in Florida, it seems to have been exterminated there and is probably still found only in Texas and California in the United States. This species is also found as far south as Chile and Argentina. This Kite is pale gray above and lighter below, with a long white tail. It is about fifteen to seventeen inches long. In the Christmas Bird Counts this New World form is referred to as Elanus caeruleus. The Christmas bird counts indicate that this species was almost exterminated in the United States in about 1925. However, by a strong educational program, this species has made somewhat of a comeback.

The following species are in the genus Elanus:

Elanus caeruleus  Black Shoulder Kite        Eurasia & Africa
Elanus leucurus   White Tailed Kite          N & S America
Elanus notatus    Australian Black Shoulder  Australia
Elanus scriptus   Letter Winged Kite         Australian Region

Hawks and Eagles (Family Accipitridae) are a group of 205 species
found in most areas of the world. Actually, the common terms of
eagle, hawk, kite, buzzard, and vulture are rather loosely used,
and consequently, are not much help in understanding this family. Here, this family has been separated into three groups: eagles and hawks, kites, and harriers.

Birds of Prey (Order Falconiformes) group contains the Eagles,
Hawks, and related birds. The majority of the species in this
group feed on small animals, fish, and other birds. A few species eat dead animals. Most of them are excellent fliers and
have very strong legs and claws for grasping their prey.

Aves contains about 8,650 different species of living birds known to science. Each year about one new species is discovered in some remote rain forest or remote island. In addition, scientists have been raising many subspecies to full species status which may raise the species count to 10,000.

However, each year about one species goes extinct. The rate of extinction is increasing, and the rate of new discovery is decreasing, so that the number of bird species will soon begin to decline rapidly. Although different taxonomists would organize the birds differently, there are approximately twenty-seven orders of birds. These orders are broken down into about one hundred and fifty-five different families.

Recent research of the genetic structure of some of the shore birds and owls would indicate that the present organization of orders and families should have some modification.

The birds are a worldwide group of animals that are characterized by having the front limbs modified into wings that are used for flying. Perhaps the most unique feature of the birds is the feathers. These feathers are made up of a central support called a quill and a series of small filaments that are hooked together as barbs.

For many years it was believed that Archaeopteryx discovered in Bavaria was the oldest bird from about 150 million years ago.  However, in l986, Sankar Chattterjee, a Texas paleontologist, reportedly discovered a bird in the genus Protoavis that lived about 225 million years ago.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.