White-tailed Kite hovering

White-tailed Kites have always been one of my favorite raptors (read a previous post on my history with this species). Their hunting style is to hover-in-place over their prey, then drop down quickly to grab a mouse or vole out of the grass.

I am yet to get really good photos of this bird. But on May 30th I was able to get these photos that follow. It was still early on an overcast morning, and the bird was distant. But these three photos aren't too bad in showing their hunting behavior, hovering in place.

White-tailed Kite. Ramona, California. May 30, 2016. Greg Gillson.