White-Tailed Kites Near Sacramento
White-tailed Kites near Sacramento
The writer is gratified to report the presence of a pair of White-tailed Kites (Elanus leucurus majusculus) in Yolo County close td Sacramento, California, on June 7, 1932. The specific location was in jungles of willows and cottonwoods along the east side of the Yolo By-pass about two miles to the northward of the east end of the Yolo Causeway, or about one and one-half miles north of west from Lovdal Station. The latter point is not over four miles from the capitol building in Sacramento.
The birds flew out, of the jungle of willows and cottonwood as I approached, and circled silently about and close above me for a period of fully ten minutes. They were closely observed with 6x binoculars, and every characteristic point of identification was carefully noted. After the period of aerial evolutions they glided off over the tall trees, and were lost to sight. The topography of the surrounding area is closely similar to typical kite nesting-habitats as described in many of the bird publications. I could not ascertain whether these birds were nesting, or were merely casual visitors.
Reference to the files of the Condor fails to show any records in recent years for this species anywhere in this general vicinity, so this record is thought worthy of publication.
Johnson A. Neff
Bureau of Biological Survey, Saeromento, California, July 10, 1932
