Black Shouldered Kite

Macky

Black Shouldered Kite

Stellenbosch – just outside Cape Town South Africa

Black-shouldered Kite {Elanus axillaris}

A common, grey and white raptor with a black shoulder. The upperparts are bluish grey, with black wing coverts which appear as a distinctive, black shoulder patch. The underparts are white. There is a small black mask around the eye.

Young birds have a reddish-brown wash on the head and breast and the feathers of the upperparts are tipped white. The bill is short with a sharp, hooked tip to the upper mandible.

The bill is black, while the feet and legs, and the cere (skin at the base of the bill) are bright yellow. The eye is dark red in adult black-shouldered kites and brownish-orange in immature birds.

Black Shouldered Kite belongs to the following groups:

! 100% !, Animal Kingdom, Birds and Creatures of Flight, Birds Of Prey (3 per day), FAUNA, FLORA, LANDSCAPES AND ARCHITECTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA, High Quality Animal Images - 1 Submission a Week, Indigenous to East & Southern Africa, Natural Developments, Nature's Wonders and The Birds Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters
Black Shouldered Kite by Macky
Black Shouldered Kite by Macky
  • jack01

    jack01

    what a beautiful bird

  • jesika

    jesika

    What a proud profile.
    Super shot.
    j

  • Cheryl Hall

    Cheryl Hall

    just look at that eye! nice clear shot…...

  • Cheri McEachin

    Cheri McEachin

    Stunning shot—wow

  • Jacky

    Jacky

    Excellent clarity of detail..and that eye !!!:))

  • Che01

    Che01

    Incredible image. What an intense stare!

  • Benjamin Young

    Benjamin Young

    This is sooooo nice. Great job.

  • bonniemonahan1

    bonniemonahan1

    Hi Macky,
    This is an exceptional photo from top to bottom & side to side. Composition, fine details, brightness & contrast, etc. are more than terrific.
    Take care, Bonnie

  • solarrain

    solarrain

    great shot and detail….........

  • Robyn Carter

    Robyn Carter

    Gorgeous – and so sharp :)

  • BarbBarcikKeith

    BarbBarcikKeith

    Really incredible shot and that ain’t a bad looking bird either.. beautiful!! Where was this taken?

  • George Woodcock

    George Woodcock

    brilliant

  • Jeremy Harrington

    Jeremy Harrington

    this is a great shot.. i love that eye!

  • Norman Winkworth

    Norman Winkworth

    Beautiful Photo

  • Macky replied

    Thank you Norman!!

  • Robert Elliott

    Robert Elliott

    Fantastic !!

  • Macky replied

    Thank you Robert, for the favourite too!!

  • Macky

    Macky

  • Anne Smyth

    Anne Smyth

    stunning capture – detail, composition, color, light – all seeming flawless

  • Macky replied

    Thanks Anne, your compliments are always appreciated!!!

  • Daveart

    Daveart

    Fantastic focus and detail brilliant portrait of such a beautiful bird

  • Macky replied

    Thank you Dave!!

  • Mariaan Krog Art Portfolio

    Mariaan Krog A...

    Brilliant camerawork! Perfect in everything! Looks awesome in large format!

  • Macky replied

    Thank you Mariaan!!

  • Andy Harris

    Andy Harris

    a real beauty – great close-up!

  • Macky replied

    Thank Andy, much appreciated!!

  • Phil Threlfall

    Phil Threlfall

    Wow, what a bird…hat a shot. What eyes !!!

  • Macky replied

    Thank you Phil, for the favourite too!!

  • Dennis Gay

    Dennis Gay

    G’day Macky,

    This is a splendid portrait study of a very fine specimen.
    Wonderful light and exposure, good depth of field right through the subject and a very good focus.
    Framed/cropped well for an interesting composition and showing a lovely sharp eye.
    Nice to see all the beak in focus as it is so easy to have the focus falling away, especially on straight beaked birds.
    The bokeh is lovely and soft and the colours and contrast beautifully natural.
    Wonderful work that man!

    GB
    Dennis

  • Macky replied

    Thank you for your critique Dennis, much appreciated!!

  • amarica

    amarica

    Beautiful capturea

  • Macky replied

    Thank you, for the favourite too!!

  • John Wright

    John Wright

    Wow! Fantastic image. Perfect technique. Great pose of this beautiful bird.

  • Macky replied

    Thanks very much John!!

  • iceeyes

    iceeyes

    awesome capture!

  • Macky replied

    Thank you very much, for the favourite too!!

  • Terry Arcia

    Terry Arcia

    so beautiful

  • Macky replied

    I’m happy that I could share this wonderful creation with you Terry!!

  • Paulo van Breugel

    Paulo van Breugel

    Beautiful! Btw, how did you manage to get this this close!

  • Macky replied

    Thanks very much, with heaps of patience!! :-)

  • Michael Gray

    Michael Gray

    love your works. all of them

  • Macky replied

    Thank you Michael!!

  • Glenda Remaklus

    Glenda Remaklus

    Such a pretty bird. Excellent clear and crisp shot. Well done!

  • Macky replied

    Much appreciate your kind comments Glenda!!

  • R. Jason Smith

    R. Jason Smith

    GORGEOUS IMAGE!

    I LOVE the red eye…

  • Macky replied

    Thanks so much!!

  • lallymac

    lallymac

    Stunning as always Macky. Your work always stands out in the crowd!

  • Macky replied

    Thank you for your kind support Lally, always appreciated!! :-)

  • Lolabud

    Lolabud

    Amazing capture of an amazing bird!! It’s all been said before, but phenomenal DOF, beautiful contrast in the red eye, perfect focus. Just stunning!!!.

  • Macky replied

    Thank you so much!!

  • Carlos Teófilo

    Carlos Teófilo

    Magnific work.

  • Macky replied

    Thank you Carlos, much appreciated!!

  • Neil Swenser

    Neil Swenser

    Wow just look at the color in that eye, beautifully captured Macky.

  • Macky

    Macky

    Much appreciated Marlin, thank you!!

  • Olitto

    Olitto

    Able to hunt by hovering on upturned wings about 50 meters above the ground. When prey is sighted, the kite “parachutes” gracefully straight down into the grass. Beautiful bird and very well captured. Excellent photograph Macky.

  • Macky replied

    Thanks very much Olitto, often watched them on the hunt. :-)

  • SandraRos

    SandraRos

  • Macky replied

    Thank you Sandra!!

  • Olitto

    Olitto

    Congratulations!!! 1st Place Winner in the Indigenous to East & Southern Africa Group Challenge, Birds Indigenous to Southern Africa

  • Macky replied

    Thank you Olitto!!

  • Olitto

    Olitto

  • Macky replied

    Thanks very much Olitto!!

  • SandraRos

    SandraRos

    Macky my dear sweet friend you are the star of this show many congratulations I am so proud of you !!!

  • Macky replied

    Thanks so much dear Sandra!!

  • Magaret Meintjes

    Magaret Meintjes

    Congratulations you have just been featured in Topshelf, Wildlife & Nature Art, well done! Take care!

  • Macky replied

    Thanks so much Mags!!

  • David Lewins LRPS

    David Lewins LRPS

    Excellent image, well done and congratulations with the feature, very worthy image.

  • Macky replied

    Thanks very much David!!

  • Dave & Trena Puckett

    Dave & Trena P...

    simply stunning!!!

  • Macky replied

    Thank you Dave & Trena!!

  • Phillip Weyers

    Phillip Weyers

    Stunning image.

  • Macky replied

    Thanks very much Phillip!!

  • Nature's Realm

    Nature's Realm

    striking shot…congrats on all of the features and challenge wins. Much deserved. – Dennis

  • Macky replied

    Thanks very much Dennis!!

  • Pam Moore

    Pam Moore

    CONGRATS! Wow….great shot. This is very deserving of all the features you received… :-)

  • Macky replied

    Thanks you very much Pam!!

  • Tamara Kenneally

    Tamara Kenneally

    You do great work

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