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White-tailed Kite
A bird of prey that appears to hover … like a kite!
© Greg Lavaty
White-tailed Kites are distinctive birds of prey. They only live in a few states in the U.S., but they’re common in grasslands throughout much of Central and South America where they hunt for rodents and small prey. Though White-tailed Kites are globally abundant, they still face threats from habitat loss across the Americas. We can support these graceful raptors by preserving the grasslands they call home.
This episode is dedicated in memory of Alice Ashbaugh, a lifelong birdwatcher and amateur ornithologist.
BirdNote®
White-tailed Kite
Written by Ariana Remmel
This is BirdNote.
The White-tailed Kite is a bird of prey with an uncanny ability. Facing her slender body into the wind — with pointed wings and broad tail outstretched — the bird appears to hover mid-air… like a kite!
[White-tailed Kite]
White-tailed Kites are mostly pale except for black patches on their wings and their signature red eyes. They only live in a few states in the US, but they’re common in grasslands throughout much of Central and South America where they hunt for rodents and small prey.
These raptors can be territorial during the breeding season, when males defend prime hunting grounds to feed their mate and chicks. But the rest of the year, kites are more gregarious. It’s not unusual to find a hundred kites roosting in the same clump of trees!
[White-tailed Kite]
Though White-tailed Kites are globally abundant, they still face threats from habitat loss as humans convert native grasslands to farms, pastures, and urban developments. We can support these graceful raptors by preserving the grasslands they call home.
[White-tailed Kite]
For BirdNote, I’m Michael Stein.
This episode is dedicated in memory of Alice Ashbaugh, a lifelong birdwatcher and amateur ornithologist.
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Senior Producer: Mark Bramhill
Producer: Sam Johnson
Managing Producer: Jazzi Johnson
Managing Producer: Ariana Remmel
Content Director: Jonese Franklin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. White-tailed Kite ML224839471 recorded by Brian Sullivan, White-tailed Kite ML242428671 recorded by Paul Fenwick.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2026 BirdNote June 2026
Narrator: Michael Stein
ID# WTKI-01-2026-06-17 WTKI-01
References:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-tailed_Kite/overview
https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/whtkit/cur/introduction
https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/kites/white-tailed-kite
Michael Stein
Narrator
Ariana Remmel
WriterSights & Sounds
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