# White-tailed Kite (*Elanus leucurus*) The White-tailed Kite is a beautiful bird with striking white feathers and a long tail. It loves to soar high in the sky and can be seen hovering over fields looking for food. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![White-tailed Kite](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Elanus_leucurus_3.jpg&width=800) Photo: Greg Schechter, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elanus_leucurus_3.jpg) ## Appearance The White-tailed Kite is a sleek, medium-sized raptor with striking white undersides and a pale grey back. It features distinctive bright red eyes and black patches on its shoulder and wingtips. Its long, pointed wings and pure white tail are notable, giving it its name. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Accipitridae - **Genus:** Elanus ## Interesting facts - Female kites often build their nests high in tall trees using sticks and twigs. - Kites are one of the few raptors that often hunt by hovering motionless in the air. - Their sharp talons act like grappling hooks, helping them snatch prey with ease! - They can twist their tail like a rudder to steer precisely while hunting! ## Special abilities - **Hover Hunter:** White-tailed Kites can hover almost perfectly still in the air because of specialized wing and tail structure that helps them spot prey from above. - **Silent Glider:** White-tailed Kites have special feather adaptations that help them fly almost silently, allowing them to surprise unsuspecting prey. - **Super Sight:** White-tailed Kites possess exceptional vision that helps them spot tiny rodents moving in tall grass from high in the sky. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 35-43 cm - **Wingspan:** 88-102 cm - **Weight:** 0.25-0.38 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 55 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 30-32 days ## Diet & Feeding These skilled hunters primarily eat small mammals like voles and mice. - **Primary Foods:** mice, voles, gophers, shrews, grasshoppers - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [California Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-vole) (*Microtus californicus*) — A key part of their diet in grassland habitats. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Large raptors sometimes prey on adult kites or nestlings. - **Shelter:** [Valley Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/valley-oak) (*Quercus lobata*) — Often nests high in large trees like native oak species. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch or catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White-tailed Kite? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is White-tailed Kite? 35-43 cm ### What is White-tailed Kite's wingspan? 88-102 cm ### How much does White-tailed Kite weigh? 0.25-0.38 kg ### How long does White-tailed Kite live? 5-10 years ### How fast can White-tailed Kite move? 55 km/h ### What does White-tailed Kite eat? These skilled hunters primarily eat small mammals like voles and mice. ### Where is White-tailed Kite usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Arastradero Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arastradero-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/palo-alto-baylands-nature-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Ruth Bancroft Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ruth-bancroft-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Luther Burbank Home and Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/luther-burbank-home-and-gardens) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Stanford University Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/stanford-university-arboretum) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Meadows Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/meadows-park) — California, US · Park [View all places to see White-tailed Kite](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-tailed-kite) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [White-tailed Kite: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-kite)