2/24/02 Pair mating, at San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Riverside County, CA
7/25/10 Flying over the main vernal pool. Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, SW Riverside County, CA
3/10/07 Juvenile on our property. La Cresta, Murrieta, Riverside County, CA
11/17/06 Landing on an Englemann oak on our property. La Cresta, Murrieta, Riverside County, CA
LIFE LIST NOTES:
COMMON NAME: White-Tailed Kite
COMMON NAME: White-Tailed Kite
SPECIES: Elanus leucurus
LIFE LIST DATE: 2/24/2002
LOCATION: Pair observed on tree top in the distance. San Jacinto Wildlife Area, Riverside County, CA
From Stokes Field Guide to Birds-Western Region & Kaufman Focus Guide-Birds of North America:
HABITAT/BEHAVIOR: Widespread in open country, fairly common in California and Texas. Often seen perched on a lone treetop or hovering on rapidly beating wings before dropping down to the ground to grab a rodent. Expanding in its range; strays might appear beyond mapped areas. Formerly called Black-Shouldered Kite.
IDENTIFYING MARKS: 15"; In flight-adult: light gray above; white below; black shoulder patches; black wrist patch on underside of pointed wings. IMM: similar to adult from below, but narrow dusky band near tip of tail. Perched-adult: gray back, white belly, black shoulders. IMM: black wings, brown back, rufous wash across breast, dusky band on tail. Body feather like adult's in 2-3 months, but tail band kept a year.
IDENTIFYING MARKS: 15"; In flight-adult: light gray above; white below; black shoulder patches; black wrist patch on underside of pointed wings. IMM: similar to adult from below, but narrow dusky band near tip of tail. Perched-adult: gray back, white belly, black shoulders. IMM: black wings, brown back, rufous wash across breast, dusky band on tail. Body feather like adult's in 2-3 months, but tail band kept a year.
VOICE: A repeated short chip chip chip; a longer kree-ek during calls of mild alarm.
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