The plumage is grey above with a pure white head, body and tail, dramatically marked with black shoulders and wingtips. Just to add to the drama, they have bright yellow feet and nostrils and a reddish eye.

Black-shouldered Kites are often seen singularly or in pairs, but will congregate in larger numbers when food is plentiful.

They prefer open woodland, grassland and farmland with scattered trees, which they use as vantage points.

They can often be seen on wires, telegraph posts and the topmost branches of trees.

These kites eat small rodents, lizards and insects and their population may increase significantly in response to mice plagues in agricultural areas.

Like most raptors they hunt during the day, and sometimes on moonlight nights. Hunting involves quartering and hovering or still hunting from a perch.

The birds hover with legs lowered and drop to catch their prey feet first, with wings raised high. Prey is often eaten while flying or taken to a suitable perch.

Black-shouldered kites breed year-round although mostly in Autumn and Spring. Pairs build a nest of sticks lined with green leaves, high in the canopy of a tree.

Male birds have an unusual courtship display, involving feeding the female in mid-flight. This requires the female to flip upside down, while flying, to accept the food.

Three to five eggs are laid and incubated by the female. The male brings food to the nest for his mate, often mice, which have been observed to be swallowed whole.

Young birds leave the nest and are dependent for about a month before they disperse widely. Some young birds have been recorded 1000 kilometres from where they fledged.

At this time of the year, a sighting of these lovely birds is possible almost every time I leave the house. I particularly enjoy watching their wonderful hovering displays.

Several pairs can be seen in the Maitland area, so keep your eyes looking upward.