White-tailed Kite

Overview

The white-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus) is a small raptor native to South America and parts of western North America. It has replaced the related Old World black-winged kite in its native range.

Identification

• White faces and underparts contrasting with black wingtips, beaks, and shoulders.
• A mid-sized kite measuring 35–43 cm in length with a wingspan of 88–102 cm.
• Deep red eyes that stand out at night.
• Falcon-like shape and flight with a rounded tail.

Habitat

Found from southern Texas and eastern Mexico through Central and South America to central Argentina and Chile. In California, they inhabit the Central Valley, southern coastal areas, marshes in Humboldt County, and around the San Francisco Bay, though their distribution remains patchy. They typically nest at the top of trees, usually 20 to 50 feet above ground level.

Diet

Feeds principally on rodents, small opossums, shrews, reptiles, amphibians, and large insects, rarely consuming other birds. Most hunted insects are consumed on the wing by transferring prey from talons to beaks, while larger prey such as rodents are eaten from a perch. Foraging often involves hovering around 80 feet in the air to scan for small mammals moving in the grass below.

Did you know?

Outside the breeding season, white-tailed kites congregate communally to roost at night in groups of up to 100. During mating season, they engage in aerial combat described as 'grappling', locking talons to slash and peck at intruding birds until one backs down or falls.