Square-tailed KiteScientific name: Lophoictinia isura

Meaning of name: Lophoictinia is from the Greek words lophos, meaning crest, and ictinos, meaning kite. Isura is from the Greek words isos, meaning equal or square, and ura, meaning tail.

Aboriginal name: mararl (mar’arl).

Distribution: Widespread but sparsely distributed across mainland Australia.

Description: Up to 55cm long with a 145cm wingspan.

References: Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Various contributors.

What Bird is That? Neville W Cayley. 1978

Aboriginal names of bird species in south-west Western Australia, with suggestions for their adoption into common usage. Ian Abbott. 2009. Conservation Science Western Australia Journal. Volume 7 No 2  http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/about-us/science-and-research/76-publications-and-resources/103-conservation-science-wa-journal