WHITE-TAILED KITE. 



23 



WHITE-TAILED KITE. 



Elanus leucurus. 



The White-tailed Kite inhabits the tropical and subtropical portions 

 of America, except the West Indies, and extends north into the United 

 States regularly to about latitude 38o along the Pacific coast, and to 

 35° in the central and eastern portions. A few probably winter in 

 Louisiana and Texas, while the species is a regular resident in the 

 southern part of California, though, strange to say, it has never been 

 recorded from Arizona or New Mexico. 



The food of this Kite, like that of the swallow-tailed, consists of small 

 snakes, lizards, frogs, and such insects as grasshoppers and beetles. 

 Audubon states that he found the remains of birds in two stomachs 

 he examined, which is an experience no other naturalist has shared 

 with him so far as known. 



About the first of April it begins to remodel its old nest or that of 

 some other bird, or builds a new one. The structure is usually placed 

 among the slender branches in the top of some lofty sycamore or live 

 oak, in the vicinity of water. It is iiat, with a very shallow concavity, 

 and is composed of small sticks, with an occasional lining of grass. 

 By the middle of April full complements of eggs are usually to be found ; 

 these vary from three to five in number. 



In the United States it is said to live in pairs or small families but 

 never singly, though in South America Mr. W. B. Barrows informs me 

 he never saw more than one at a time. It frequents the lowlands, 

 where it rapidly beats back and forth over the surface of the ground, 

 ever ready to seize its prey. The species is tame and unsuspicious, and 

 may be approached without diflficulty. Its flight is very much like 

 that of the Mississippi Kite, but usually is not so protracted, nor does 

 the bird attain such an elevation as the latter species. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Front of bare leg covered with minute roundish scales; claws not 

 grooved beneath. 



Color: Above, pale bluish gray, becoming gradually white on head 

 and tail; shoulders and a spot in front of the eyes black; below, en- 

 tirely pure white. 



Length: 15 to 16.75 inches (380 to 425 ""=) ; extent, 39 to 42 inches 

 (990 to 1066°""); wing, 11.50 to 13.50 inches (292 to 342""'); tail, 

 5.90 to 7.40 inches (150 to 188 '""). 



