A graceful bird of prey, 22-24 inches in length with a wingspread reaching 50 inches.
Eye color varies from dark brown to red.
The breeding range includes the east Gulf coast, most of Florida, and along the south Atlantic coast as far north as South Carolina. Individuals have been sighted on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and along the Texas coast. Swallow-tails prefer to breed in areas near water, marshes, swamps and along river courses or lakes. A frequent nesting spot in Florida is the Everglades National Park. Outside of breeding season, the birds wander as far west as Colorado and north to Minnesota, New York and south Canada, and have been recorded casually in the Southwest.