Tag Archives: White-tailed Kite

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White-tailed Kites have been sighted recently here on the Mendonoma Coast. Sometimes affectionately called "Hover Birds," they are seen hovering in the sky while they search for a tasty rodent. Allen Vinson got this beautiful photograph.

white-tailed-kite-by-allen-vinsonHere's another photo of Allen's where the Kite landed on top of a tree.

white-tailed-kite-by-allen-vinsonThese raptors have a rather musical chirp. Here's a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology if you'd like to hear it: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Kite/sounds

Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see more of Allen's nature photography, here is the link: http://allenvinson.smugmug.com/

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Allen Vinson photographed this White-tailed Kite at the moment it spotted its lunch. When you look at this photo is it any wonder that birds remind us of angels?

 Allen took the photo below on a sunny day. The Kite looks like an ornament in the tree.

White-tailed Kites are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast. They have the ability to be motionless in the air by facing into the wind. This is called kiting and is indicative of this Kite.

Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

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White-tailed Kites are year round residents of the Mendonoma Coast. They are interesting to watch while they hunt as they hover over a meadow while they search for prey. Siegfried Matull recently photographed one hunting near his home on The Sea Ranch.

White-tailed Kites eat mostly small mammals, but they do eat lizards, insects and some birds. I often see one hunting over the grasslands along the Gualala River while hiking at Gualala Point Regional Park.

To hear the call of this beautiful raptor, here's a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Kite/sounds

Thanks to Siegfried for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

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Andy Moore photographed what he thought was an Osprey perched on top of a tree, overlooking the White Barn at The Sea Ranch.

But when I zoomed in on Andy's photo I found he had photographed a White-tailed Kite.

This is such a beautiful hawk. They hover in the air while they hunt for small mammals. The meadows at Gualala Point Regional Park are a good place to see one. To hear the sounds of a White-tailed Kite, here's the link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Kite/sounds

Thanks to Andy for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see more of Andy's photography, here is his website: http://www.andystreasuretrove.com/

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Several days ago I showed you a photo Allen Vinson took of a White-tailed Kite on top a tree, looking like an ornament. Here is a close-up photo of the Kite.

Allen photographed an adult White-tailed Kite - a beautiful and distinctive raptor that lives year round on the Mendonoma Coast. Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his photo with you here.