Kathy Bishop recently photographed this White-tailed Kite. Kathy wrote,
“I was watching an elegant pair of White-tailed Kites skimming a pasture near Manchester when one glided toward me and settled to take a break.”
They mostly eat small mammals. I have seen one hunting at Gualala Point Regional Park. They have the ability to hover in the air. Here is what allaboutbirds.org says about White-tailed Kites: "While hunting, the White-tailed Kite characteristically hovers up to 80 feet off the ground and then drops straight down onto prey items. This ability to hold a stationary position in midair without flapping is accomplished by facing into the wind, and is so characteristic of these birds that it has come to be called kiting. White-tailed Kites also perform ritualized courtship displays in which a male offers prey to a female prior to egg laying. In an often spectacular aerial exchange, the female flies up to meet the male, turns upside-down, and grasps the prey."
Siegfried Matull once witnessed this ritualized courtship and photographed this amazing sight as the male brought a vole to his mate.
White-tailed Kites are year round residents of the Mendonoma coast. Their call is whistle-like and you can hear it here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Kite/sounds
Thanks to Kathy and Siegfried for allowing me to share their photos with you here.
These kites hunt small mammals, and they can be seen hovering over grassy meadows.
During non-breeding season, White-tailed Kites are known to roost together in groups of up to a hundred or so birds. To hear their quiet, whistle-like calls, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Kite/sounds
