Black-shouldered Kite, Tagus River Estuary, Portugal

In winter, many raptors gather to hunt the marshes and rice fields of the Tagus Estuary, across the river from Lisbon, Portugal. Common Buzzard is most common, but the Black-shouldered Kite is close behind. The kite is an elegant bird, and striking close up because of the eyes. We used to have a “Black-shouldered Kite” here in the Americas, but it is (and was always) a different species…very similar in appearance…and so it was, relatively recently, renamed “White-tailed Kite” to avoid confusion. Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode. 1/800th @ ISO 100 @ f4. Processed in Photoshop express.