Hovering raptor

Ákos · #1 (**permalink**) 08-07-2008, 10:44 PM

I noticed a pair of these Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) building a nest adjacent to a busy western Sydney highway, so I could not resist in pulling over with my camera in hand. When they placed the sticks etc, they hopped up into the breeze and just hovered momentarily before flying off to collect more. A beautiful sight.

goosey · #2 (**permalink**) 09-07-2008, 08:12 AM

Excellent image and a truely beautiful bird! I wonder why it is so white? It's usually birds in the very north of Europe here which are white to camouflage against snow.

Ákos · #3 (**permalink**) 09-07-2008, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goosey

Excellent image and a truely beautiful bird! I wonder why it is so white? It's usually birds in the very north of Europe here which are white to camouflage against snow.

I have no idea why white/grey/black. There are two similar species locally, this (Elanus axillaris) and the Letter-winged Kite (Elanus scriptus) both look almost identical but the Letter-winged is nocturnal whereas this one is diurnal.

The only way to tell the difference in the field is the black marking around the eye extends behind the eye in this pictured species (Black-shouldered Kite) and the underside of the wings has the black ends as in the image. The Letter-winged Kite's black patch around the eye stops at the eye, does not extend beyond and also there is a trailing edge of black in almost and M-shape when viewed from below at the front of the wings.

Pudding4brains · #4 (**permalink**) 10-07-2008, 12:13 AM

Amazing photo

Almost looks like a painting - everything is so neat & tidy (sky, bird ...)

Thanks for sharing Ákos!
Arp

frostfire · #5 (**permalink**) 19-07-2008, 03:56 PM

Wow, stunning picture! I spent all of last week trying to get a decent picture of flying bird of prey, in the end I got one I was happy with, but it isn't a patch on yours!

Just read an interesting little fact about Black-shouldered Kites: "the males feed the females mid-air during courtship. The female flips upside down and accepts the food from the male, while the two birds are locked briefly together in flight with their feet holding the prey".

~*~Frostfire~*~

frostfire · #6 (**permalink**) 09-08-2008, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frostfire

Wow, stunning picture! I spent all of last week trying to get a decent picture of flying bird of prey, in the end I got one I was happy with, but it isn't a patch on yours!

Here is the best picture I was on about... Not fantastic as mentioned, but hope somebody will be able to ID it.
Hope you don't think I am hijacking your thread Ákos, if so sorry it wasn't intended as that!

~*~Frostfire~*~

goosey · #7 (**permalink**) 13-08-2008, 10:35 AM

Seeing as no one else has answered, I shall try

Did your bird hover in one place in the air at anytime?
I am wondering if it could be a Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus?

H Dogg · #8 (**permalink**) 13-08-2008, 06:05 PM

Definately a kestrel

frostfire · #9 (**permalink**) 14-08-2008, 12:44 PM

Thanks Goosey and H Dogg for the ID! It is always so nice to be able to put a name to what you have seen. There were so many bird of prey flying about in that area and I found it such a shame I was only able to recognise Buzzards in flight, so am really happy to be able to put a name to another bird I saw.

~*~Frostfire~*~