MISSISSIPPI KITE ICTINIA MISISIPPIENSIS (Wilson) HABITS As I have never seen this kite in life, I shall have to rely wholly on the observations of others. Mississippi Kite: Nests locally in the U.S. from Kansas, Iowa, Tennessee and North Carolina south to north-western Florida, and along the Gulf coast states to Texas. Mississippi Kite This small, pointed-winged kite looks more like a falcon than any other of our kites. Size and flight: With a 3-foot wingspan and measuring about 17 inches long, the kite … As recently as the 1940s, this graceful hawk was considered rare and endangered in North America, restricted to a few sites in California and Texas. In the spring, they often migrate in groups of 20 to 30 to their nesting sights in Arizona, east to southeastern Colorado, southern Kansas, southern Missouri and the … Surprisingly as of 1995 only South Carolina listed this species as Endangered (Meyer 1995).

The Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) nests across much of the south east and south central United States.In the fall, the species often migrates in flocks as they head south, but often single individuals may be encountered. Page updated. We have large tracts of 40 year old pines resulting in a prime area to attract the kites. Mississippi kites are highly migratory. Mississippi Kite - Weatherford, Texas, Parker County, July 7, 2005.

These long-distance migrants travel in flocks south to winter in South America.

This drastic range contraction illustrates the tenuous situation of the present population in Texas.
Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis. I had an injured Mississippi Kite Hawk in my yard this morning. Very rarely do you find them in Dallas, but in Sherman and north, they are very common. The Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) is the most commonly seen kite in North Texas. Photo by Larry Smith. I am in Alvin, Texas and I didn't know we had Mississippi Kite's. The wingtips and tail are black. Mississippi kites follow a broad route through Houston, often over tree-lined suburban neighborhoods. I didn't realize it was a hawk until later this afternoon I saw it sitting up against the fence. Family: (Accipitridae) Hawks and Allies . © Chris Davis | Macaulay Library Mississippi kites. It had been banded in 1984 in Kansas. Despite the name, it is most common on the southern Great Plains. The Mississippi kite breeds primarily in the central and southern states, with highest concentrations in northern Texas and Oklahoma through southern Kansas, as well as along the Mississippi River. Most types of hawks migrate South for the winter, with the migratory season an especially fun time for birders.

The oldest Mississippi Kite on record was at least 11 years, 2 months old when it was found in Texas in 1995.

I am in Alvin, Texas and I didn't know we had Mississippi Kite's. Some occasionally winter in Florida; however most migrate to areas further south. These birds migrate to Central America and south in the winter. It is often seen hovering on rapidly beating wings over open fields, looking for small rodents, its main food source.

Prefers open country that … Historically these kites bred in the swampy bottom lands of the Mississippi River drainage as far north as Minnesota as well as east on the Ohio River.

The eating habits aren’t the only slightly odd habit. They have a very definite line where they nest. Notwithstanding their common and Latin names, these birds of prey are more common in the southern Great Plains than in the State of Mississippi. The breeding range of Mississippi Kites has only recently expanded into North Texas. The wounds have healed and it … Kites are also found in suburban settings near parks or stands of trees. Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) Ictinia mississippiensis.

However, the falcon can weigh as much as three times as much. I didn't realize it was a hawk until later this afternoon I saw it sitting up against the fence. Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis L 13-15" / WS 29-33" Mississippi Kites are distinctive in plumage, flight style, and foraging behavior. The first baby was brought to the Center after falling 50 feet from its nest injuring its head.

Two nestling Mississippi Kites have arrived within a week of each other. They are amazingly agile in flight. They are migrating southward over the next six weeks or so. The breeding range of Mississippi Kites has only recently expanded into North Texas. Prefers open country that … It breeds across the southern states from Florida as far west as Arizona and New Mexico (A.O.U. It also breeds in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama and northern Florida. It reaches its maximum abundance in the central states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana (Price et …