White-tailed kites are fairly common in much of coastal and central California; they seem to adapt to suburbs, fruit orchards, grassy fields, and farmland, as long as there are open areas where they can hunt rodents.   Most of these birds are adults; juveniles shows a tinge of buff color and some mottling on the head and back.   Many of these images are of a bird hovering over a field, from which it eventually snatched a mouse.   I took the photos at the Bolsa Chica wetlands in coastal Orange County, the San Jacinto Wildlife Area near Riverside, the Monterey Peninsula, and near Palo Alto in the San Francisco Bay area.   Photos of a particularly cooperative adult are here.
      Because of the pale plumage that contrasts with a 'masked' face, these graceful hawks sometimes have an almost owl-like appearance.   Close relatives, like the black-shouldered kite are found throughout most of the world except for isolated islands and the polar regions.

• Canon 10D, 1D Mk. II, 1D4, or 7D2; 500 mm IS lens plus 1.4X or 2X converter or 800 mm IS lens with 1.4X converter (2003, 2004, 2006, 2012, 2015, 2016)