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22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Kite eating feathers

While we were driving back to the rest camp a game drive in the Kruger National Park, we saw a dead pigeon in the road in front of us. A Yellow-billed kite came down on it and landed next to the dead pigeon. We parked next to the kill and the kite was very relaxed as we were not too close to its meal. The kite started to feed on it. No an easy meal because a lot of feathers need to be removed from the dead pigeon as evident in this photo.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2024
Photo Location: South Africa
Camera: ILCE-1
Copyright: © Willem Kruger