Identification
The
Mississippi kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) is a member of the family
Accipitridae, a group of diurnal birds of prey. Adult Mississippi kites are
falcon-shaped with light gray underparts, a dark gray dorsal surface, and a
black unbarred tail. They have orange-red legs and feet, with a pale
pearly-gray head, red eyes, gray bill, and black wings tipped with a broad
white patch on each rear edge that is visible in flight.
Adult
kites are about 13 to 14 inches (34 to 36 cm) long, have a wingspan of about 3
feet (0.9 m), and weigh 8 to 11 ounces (227 to 312 g). The male Mississippi
Kite bird is lighter gray and smaller than the female. However, immature kites
have heavy brown streaks below, and a notched black tail that is somewhat
banded on the ventral surface.
The
Juvenile kites are covered with a fluffy white down that contrasts with their
black eyes and bill. Mississippi kite birds are graceful in flight, often
appearing to float in the air but not uncommon to see several circling in the
same area.
Distribution
and Habitat
Mississippi
kites’ nest found in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, southeastern
Colorado, southern Kansas, and the eastern states from southern Missouri to
South Carolina. The southern Great Plains is considered a stronghold for the
species. Mississippi kites nest primarily along with riparian areas and in
mesquite thickets and tree plantings such as shelterbelts, windbreaks, farm
woodlots, urban parks, and urban residential woodlots.
Kites
frequently use large windbreaks that are surrounded by native vegetation and
have few nearby roads and homes. Shelterbelts planted in native grassland
habitats likely have resulted in the westward expansion of the kite’s range.
Kites usually perch in the open on bare branches or on television antennas.
This bird is one of the United States' most elegant raptors, 6 to 7 pairs in sight
of one another in a grove of tall trees.
Migrations – Mississippi
Kite birds migrate in the fall to their wintering grounds in central and
southern tropical South America. A long-distance migrant, in flocks; every so
often seen in very large concentrations in Texas and Mexico. In a 2006 report,
more than 10,000 birds migrate at Fuerte Esperanza Argentina. Also, in 2004
nearly 9,8000 individuals fall migrate to Corpus Christi Texas.
Food
Habits
Mississippi
kites are primarily insectivorous. Their preference for insects that are
harmful to crops, such as cicadas and grasshoppers, makes them economically
beneficial. Most insects are captured by kites in flight. Kites supplement
their diets with lizards, frogs, small turtles, rodents, small rabbits, and
occasionally, small birds.
General
Biology, Reproduction, and Behavior
Most
Mississippi kites probably wintering Argentina and Brazil. They often migrate
in groups of 20 to 30, and usually arrive at their nesting sites in mid to late
April or early May. Their southward migration generally begins in early
September, a few weeks after the young have fledged. Mississippi kites usually
start nesting soon after their arrival in spring.
They
form pair bonds before arriving at nest sites and display little territorial
behavior. Kites either repair old nests or construct new ones. Nests usually
are concentrated in colonies. Many nests occur in elm, cottonwood, willow,
hackberry, oak, and mesquite trees.
Most
nests, except for those constructed in elm and cotton-wood trees, are usually
less than 20feet (6 m) above the ground. Nests vary in size, ranging from 10 to
18inches (25 to 46 cm) long and 10 to 14inches (25 to 36 cm) wide. They usually
are composed of small twigs and lined with leaves.
In late
May or, early June, kites lay two dull white to pale bluish-white eggs about1
1/2 inches (3.8 cm) long and almost oval in shape. Both parents incubate the eggs
and feed the young. They usually lay only 1 clutch per year, which hatches
after an incubation period of about 29 to 32 days. The young can fly and leave
the nest 28 to 35 days after hatching.
About
half the nesting kites successfully raise young. Major mortality factors
include strong winds, usually associated with summer thunderstorms, that blow
out nestlings and destroy nests, and egg and nestling predators, including
great horned owls and raccoons. Mississippi kites produce younger in urban than
in rural areas; the greater success has been related to lower predation. These
kites usually live about 8 years and prefer to make a nest at deciduous trees.
Damage
Some
Mississippi kites create problems by diving at and frightening people who
venture near their nests. The diving behavior is initiated to protect the nest
and young but occurs at less than 20% of the nests. Diving increases as
incubation progresses and is most prevalent after hatching. Often both parents
dive and emit shrill cries when the nest is threatened. These alarm calls often
attract other kites, which also harass the intruder.
Although
kites may swoop within inches of an individual, only 3% of 903dives recorded at
one golf course resulted in the birds actually hitting humans. These attacks,
however, can be serious if elderly individuals or children riding bicycles are
frightened and fall. After the young leave their nests, the diving behavior
stops.
Legal
Status
Mississippi
kites are fully protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918)
and state regulations. It is illegal to take, possess, transport, sell, or
purchase kites or their parts without a permit. These regulations also protect
the kite’s eggs and nests, even nests that have been abandoned after the
breeding season.
A special permit may be issued by this Fish and Wildlife Service that authorizes
the permit holder to take, transport, and temporarily possess juvenile kites
for relocation to alternate nest sites and to remove the nest.
Damage
Prevention and Control Methods
Exclusion
and Habitat Modification - Preventing access of the adult kites to the
nesting areas, which should deter subsequent diving, is difficult and not
practical in most situations. If the nest can be removed in compliance with the
US Fish and Wildlife Service permit, further nesting at that site maybe
deterred by removing one of the branches that supported the nest or by fencing
out the nest area with hardware cloth.
Nest
Avoidance - Avoiding the area around Mississippi kite
nests, from incubation through fledging (mid-June through mid-August), is one
of the best methods to prevent kites from diving at people. To reduce conflicts
at golf courses or parks, people can be encouraged to stay away from a nest by
placing yellow-plastic tape that says “Do Not Enter” in a 50-yard (50-m) radius
around the nest.
If the
nesting area cannot be avoided, wearing a hat should prevent the rare
occurrence of a kite strike but will not prevent diving. Place protective
netting in the kites’ path of flight to prevent them from diving in certain
areas. Frightening People who are attacked by kites should wave their arms or
other objects to frighten the offending birds. You may encourage kites to nest
elsewhere by placing a life-sized kite effigy in a previously used nest or in a
human-made nest before kites arrive in the spring.
The greatest average distance that kites ranged from their nest while performing
aggressive behavior was 35 yards (32m) in one study. Decoys should therefore be
placed in all potential nest trees within at least 50yards of the area to be
protected. Repellents No chemical bird repellents (for example, sticky pastes,
sprays) currently registered by EPA have prevented kites from nesting in an
area.
Toxicants - No
chemical toxicants are currently registered by EPA for Mississippi kite
control. However, other kite birds are less aggressive and restrict to the
shrill cries of scream. The Mississippi Kite bird normally very frightening to
the unsuspecting victim, and normally does not result in any physical harm.
Trapping
or Shooting - Trapping or shooting Mississippi kites is
seldom warranted. Permits for such activities are required by the US Fish and
Wildlife Service and the local state wildlife agency. These permits likely will
not be granted in most cases.
Nest
Removal - Removal of the adult kite’s eggs, young, and
nest will typically terminate diving behavior. However, this practice is not
legal without a special permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Eggs and
young that are removed from an offending kite’s nest habitually are transferred
to another kite’s nest located outside the problem area.
Hence,
choose to foster kite nests that have eggs or young at the same developmental
stage as in the problem nest. Usually, no more than one chick is added to a
nest. Furthermore, material may need to be wired to the foster nest to enlarge
it. Occasionally, eggs or young may be incubated and/or reared by humans.
Some
kites, whose eggs or young have been removed, may re-nest nearby and continue
their aggressive behavior. In most instances, the severity of the diving
behavior does not warrant removal of the nest, eggs, or young.
Economics
of Damage and Control - Few tangible costs can be associated with the
harassment of humans by the diving behavior of Mississippi kites. Also,
preventing the diving behavior is usually a matter of avoiding the nesting area
or frightening the birds when they are diving.
Reference
- William
F. Andelt Extension Wildlife Specialist Department of Fishery and Wildlife
Biology Colorado State University-Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
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