White-tailed Kite

The White-tailed Kite is a strikingly pale, gull-like raptor of open country, with pearl-gray upperparts, a white head, breast, and tail, and bold black patches on the shoulders (leading edge of the wing) that are diagnostic in flight. Its wings are long and pointed, and its eyes are a vivid red-orange, giving adults a distinctive expression.

Rather than soaring high or perching motionless to wait for prey, this kite is famous for its buoyant, hovering flight, hanging in place on rapidly beating wings above a field, head down, scanning for movement in the grass below before dropping onto prey feet-first.

Key Field Marks

• Pale gray back, white underparts, and a white tail (no dark band)
• Bold black patch at the bend of the wing, visible both perched and in flight
• Red-orange eyes
• Long, pointed wings and frequent hovering ("kiting") flight over open ground

Similar Species

• Mississippi Kite: overall gray, lacks black shoulder patches and white tail, and has a darker, more uniform look.
• Northern Harrier: larger, browner or grayer overall with a white rump patch (not a fully white tail) and low, coursing flight over marshes rather than hovering.
• Gulls or terns at a distance: ruled out by the kite's raptorial shape, hooked bill, and hunting behavior over land.

Range

White-tailed Kites are resident across parts of the southern and western United States (especially California, Texas, and the Gulf Coast), Mexico, Central America, and much of South America.

Habitat

They favor open grasslands, agricultural fields, marshes, and savanna with scattered trees for perching and nesting. Populations can shift locally in response to rodent abundance, and the species underwent a dramatic range expansion and recovery in California during the 20th century after near-extirpation.

Hunting

The hallmark behavior of this species is its hovering hunting style: the kite flies into the wind, holds a stationary position 10-30 meters above a field with legs dangling, then drops in stages onto rodents hidden in the grass.

Voice

Calls include thin, whistled notes and a repeated, high-pitched "keep, keep, keep" given near the nest or in territorial disputes.

Nesting

Pairs build a stick nest lined with grass near the top of a tree, often in a loose grove overlooking open hunting ground. Clutches usually contain three to five eggs, and males feed the incubating female and later the young.