Graceful like a gull, but with the attitude of a bird of prey, the Black-shouldered or White-tailed Kite is about 16 inches long with a wingspan of over 3 feet. This bird is mostly white with a grey back. There is a black patch on the shoulder and on the underside of the wing tips. The wings are long and pointed.

You'll find this bird on the West Coast in California and in Arizona and the southern tip of Texas. It prefers open country, grasslands and farmlands. They feed on insects and rodents. Like the kestrel, they will hover in the air looking for their prey. No other North American Kite exhibits this behavior.

The nest is found in tall trees, often near water. It is made of sticks and twigs and lined with grass, dry roots and straw. The clutch consists of 3 to 5 white eggs spotted brown. The incubation period is about a month.

These birds are sociable and can be found in groups of 12 or more. The call is a whistled keep-keep-keep.