Physical DescriptionĪs the nestlings grow, their downy white feathers are replaced by darker feathers. You are more likely to see one if you are on Beverley Drive near the front entrance to the park. There is no special way to look for them. Mississippi Kites are sometimes seen in the air over the park. You can see either adults or one of the streak-breasted juvenile birds. This nest was thought to be the most northerly successful nest for Mississippi Kites that year in the Washington area.įall: When Mississippi Kites nest in the neighborhood, you might see one in or near the park at any time until they take off on the their migration south, which usually occurs around the middle of September. They had nested in the neighborhood next to Monticello in previous years, and in 2017, a pair produced a chick in a nest a block up the hill from the park. The first sighting at Monticello Park was in May, 2016, and kites were seen flying over the park on a few occasions in May, 2017. During the ensuing years, more kites have arrived, and they have slowly moved their breeding activity into Alexandria and Arlington. The first breeding record in the area was in 1995 in Woodbridge, Virginia. If you live in the range of this graceful raptor, keep your eyes toward the sky and you may catch a glimpse of these hunters on the wing.Ĭheck out my Brazoria Bird Collection for more local bird photos.Spring: Mississippi Kites have expanded their breeding range into the Washington metro area. I hope to update this post if I have some success. I’ll keep trying to improve on my image quality. When they do come to rest, they tend to choose very tall trees. In addition the lighting hasn’t been ideal. Good images of the Texas Mississippi Kites have been difficult to capture because they seem to be on the move most of the time. I have seen quite a few birds this week and have some photos to share here. If you follow these links, then you will be able to view images of the other raptors I have seen locally. Migrants such as Swallow tailed Kite, and Broad winged Hawk are also regularly seen. Other raptors in include Red Shouldered Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, and Sharp-shinned Hawk. During the course of a year many raptors have used this area as their nesting or hunting ground. The habitat is quite good thus attracting many other species of birds. We have large tracts of 40 year old pines resulting in a prime area to attract the kites. My neighborhood is close to a sizeable bayou. Kites are also found in suburban settings near parks or stands of trees. Texas Mississippi Kites from the eastern part of the state tend to nest in old growth or wetland forest areas. Large dragonflies seem to be a favorite food. The kite is very acrobatic and graceful and take their prey in flight. The Mississippi Kites soar high above or swoop at treetop level looking for prey. Texas Mississippi Kites are small, slender raptors which feed mostly on insects. On the Wing From Cornell Lab of Ornithology I saw migrants in May, but now am seeing many Texas Mississippi Kites almost every day. Many spring migrants come through Texas each year, however, this year has brought a fair amount of breeding birds to the Upper Coast. They are breeders along the Upper Gulf Coast and the Texas Panhandle. Texas Mississippi Kites are migrants over the eastern half of the state.
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