William F. Andelt Extension Wildlife Specialist Department of Fishery and MISSISSIPPI KITES Wildlife Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado 80523

Fig. 1. Mississippi kite, Ictinia mississippiensis

Identification Damage Prevention and Repellents The Mississippi kite (Fig. 1) is a mem- Control Methods None are registered or known to be ber of the family Accipitridae, a group effective. of diurnal birds of prey. Adult Missis- Exclusion and Habitat Modification sippi kites are falcon-shaped with light Toxicants gray underparts, a dark gray dorsal Generally not practical. None are registered. surface, and a black unbarred tail. Nest Avoidance They have orange-red legs and feet, a Trapping or Shooting very pale pearly-gray head, red eyes, a Avoid nesting sites between incuba- Allowed only under a permit. dark gray bill, and black wings tipped tion and fledging of young. with a broad white patch on each rear Nest Removal Frightening edge that is visible in flight. Adult kites Generally difficult, requires a permit. are approximately 14 inches (36 cm) Wave arms or other objects to deter long, have a wingspan of about 3 feet kites from diving close to people. (0.9 m), and weigh 8 to 11 ounces (227 Life-sized kite models may prevent to 312 g). The male is lighter gray and nesting by kites. smaller than the female. The call of an adult is a “phee-phew” whistle. Imma- ture kites have heavy brown streaks below, and a notched black tail that is

PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF WILDLIFE DAMAGE — 1994

Cooperative Extension Division Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Nebraska - Lincoln United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Animal Damage Control E-75 Great Plains Agricultural Council Wildlife Committee somewhat banded on the ventral sur- face. Young kites are covered with a fluffy white down that contrasts with their black eyes and bill.

Range and Habitat

Mississippi kites nest in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, southeast- ern Colorado, southern Kansas, and the eastern states from southern Mis- souri to South Carolina. The southern Great Plains is considered a strong- hold for the species. Kites migrate in the fall to their wintering grounds in central South America. Mississippi kites nest primarily along riparian areas and in mesquite (Prosopis spp.) thickets and tree plantings such as shelterbelts, wind- breaks, farm woodlots, urban parks, and urban residential woodlots. Kites frequently use large windbreaks that Fig. 2. During nesting season, Mississippi kites may dive at people who come near their nests. are surrounded by native vegetation and have few nearby roads and Mississippi kites generally begin nest- tors include strong winds, usually as- homes. Shelterbelts planted in native ing soon after their arrival in spring. sociated with summer thunderstorms, grassland habitats likely have resulted They form pair bonds before arriving that blow out nestlings and destroy in the westward expansion of the kite’s at nest sites and display little territorial nests, and egg and nestling predators, range. Kites usually perch in the open behavior. Kites either repair old nests including great horned owls (Bubo on bare branches or on television or construct new ones. Nests usually virginianus) and raccoons (Procyon antennas. are concentrated in colonies. Many lotor). Mississippi kites produce more nests occur in elm (Ulmus spp.), cot- young in urban (1.2 fledglings per Food Habits tonwood (Populus deltoides), willow nesting attempt) than in rural (0.6 (Salix spp.), hackberry (Celtis spp.), oak fledglings per attempt) areas; the Mississippi kites are primarily insec- (Quercus spp.), and mesquite (Prosopis greater success has been related to tivorous. Their preference for insects fuliflora) trees. Most nests, except for lower predation. Kites usually live that are harmful to crops, such as cica- those constructed in elm and cotton- about 8 years. das and grasshoppers, makes them wood trees, are usually less than 20 economically beneficial. Most insects feet (6 m) above the ground. Nests Damage are captured by kites in flight. Kites vary in size, ranging from 10 to 18 supplement their diets with lizards, inches (25 to 46 cm) long and 10 to 14 Some Mississippi kites create problems frogs, small turtles, rodents, small rab- inches (25 to 36 cm) wide. They usu- by diving at and frightening people bits, and occasionally, small birds. ally are composed of small twigs and who venture near their nests (Fig. 2). lined with leaves. The diving behavior is initiated to pro- General Biology, tect the nest and young, but occurs at In late May or early June, kites lay 2 less than 20% of the nests. Diving in- Reproduction, and white to pale bluish white eggs about creases as incubation progresses and is Behavior 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) long and almost most prevalent after hatching. Often oval in shape. Both parents incubate both parents dive and emit shrill cries Most Mississippi kites probably winter the eggs and feed the young. They when the nest is threatened. These in Argentina and Brazil. They often usually lay only 1 clutch per year, alarm calls often attract other kites, migrate in groups of 20 to 30, and which hatches after an incubation pe- which also harass the intruder. usually arrive at their nesting sites in riod of about 30 to 32 days. The young Although kites may swoop within mid- to late April or early May. Their are able to fly and leave the nest 30 to inches of an individual, only 3% of 903 southward migration generally begins 34 days after hatching. dives recorded at one golf course in early September, a few weeks after About half the nesting kites success- resulted in the birds actually hitting the young have fledged. fully raise young. Major mortality fac- humans. These attacks, however, can

E-76 be serious if elderly individuals or Frightening the severity of the diving behavior children riding bicycles are frightened does not warrant removal of the nest, People who are attacked by kites and fall. After the young leave their eggs, or young. should wave their arms or other nests, the diving behavior stops. objects to frighten the offending birds. Economics of Damage and Legal Status You may encourage kites to nest else- Control where by placing a life-sized kite effigy Mississippi kites are fully protected in a previously used nest or in a Few tangible costs can be associated under the Federal Migratory Bird human-made nest before kites arrive with the harassment of humans by the Treaty Act (1918) and state regula- in the spring. The greatest average dis- diving behavior of Mississippi kites. tions. It is illegal to take, possess, trans- tance that kites ranged from their nest Preventing the diving behavior is gen- port, sell, or purchase kites or their while performing aggressive behavior erally a matter of avoiding the nesting parts without a permit. These regula- was 35 yards (32 m) in one study. De- area or frightening the birds when they tions also protect the kite’s eggs and coys should therefore be placed in all are diving. nests, even nests that have been aban- potential nest trees within at least 50 doned after the breeding season. A yards of the area to be protected. special permit may be issued by the Acknowledgments Repellents US Fish and Wildlife Service that Figure 1 by Jill Sack Johnson. authorizes the permit holder to take, No chemical bird repellents (for ex- transport, and temporarily possess ample, sticky pastes, sprays) currently Figure 2 by Emily Oseas Routman. juvenile kites for relocation to alternate registered by EPA have prevented nest sites and to remove the nest. kites from nesting in an area. For Additional Toxicants Information Damage Prevention and No chemical toxicants are currently Control Methods Fitch, H. S. 1963. Observations on the registered by EPA for Mississippi kite Mississippi kite in southwestern Kansas. Exclusion and Habitat Modification control. Univ. Kansas Museum Nat. Hist. 12:503-519. Preventing access of the adult kites to Trapping or Shooting Gennaro, A. L. 1986. Breeding biology of an urban population of Mississippi kites in the nesting areas, which should deter Trapping or shooting Mississippi kites New Mexico. Pages 188-190 in R. L. Glinski, subsequent diving, is difficult and not is seldom warranted. Permits for such B. G. Pendleton, M. B. Moss, M. N. LeFranc, practical in most situations. If the nest activities are required by the US Fish Jr., B. A. Millsap, and S. W. Hoffman, eds. can be removed in compliance with a Proc. Southwest Raptor Manage. Symp. and Wildlife Service and the local state Workshop. Natl. Wildl. Fed. Sci. Tech. Ser. US Fish and Wildlife Service permit, wildlife agency. These permits likely No. 11. further nesting at that site may be will not be granted in most cases. deterred by removing one of the Gennaro, A. L. 1986. Extent and control of Nest Removal aggressive behavior toward humans by branches that supported the nest or by Mississippi kites. Pages 249-252 in R. L. fencing out the nest area with hard- Removal of the adult kite’s eggs, Glinski, B. G. Pendleton, M. B. Moss, M. N. ware cloth. LeFranc, Jr., B. A. Millsap, and S. W. young, and nest will usually terminate Hoffman, eds. Proc. Southwest Raptor Nest Avoidance diving behavior. However, this prac- Manage. Symp. Workshop. Natl. Wildl. Fed. tice is not legal without a special per- Sci. Tech. Ser. No. 11. Avoiding the area around Mississippi mit from the US Fish and Wildlife Love, D., J. A. Grzybowski, and F. L. Knopf. kite nests, from incubation through Service. Eggs and young that are re- 1985. Influence of various land uses on fledging (mid-June through mid- moved from an offending kite’s nest windbreak selection by nesting Mississippi August), is one of the best methods to usually are transferred to another kites. Wilson Bull. 97:561-565. prevent kites from diving at people. To kite’s nest located outside the problem Parker, J. 1979. The Mississippi kite: a ten-year reduce conflicts at golf courses, or area. Choose foster kite nests that have investigation of Kansas’ strangest hawk. parks, people can be encouraged to eggs or young at the same develop- Kansas Fish and Game 36:4-8. stay away from a nest by placing yel- mental stage as in the problem nest. Parker, J. W. and J. C. Ogden. 1979. The recent low-plastic tape that says “Do Not Usually, no more than one chick is history and status of the Mississippi kite. Amer. Birds 33:119-129. Enter” in a 50-yard (50-m) radius added to a nest. Additional material around the nest. If the nesting area may need to be wired to the foster nest Rideout, D. W. 1979. Plains gliders: Mississippi cannot be avoided, wearing a hat kites grace panhandle skies. Texas Parks to enlarge it. Occasionally, eggs or Wildl. Mag. 37:3-6. should prevent the rare occurrence of young may be incubated and/or a kite strike but will not prevent div- reared by humans. Some kites, whose ing. Place protective netting in the eggs or young have been removed, Editors kites’ path of flight to prevent them may renest nearby and continue their Scott E. Hygnstrom from diving in certain areas. aggressive behavior. In most instances, Robert M. Timm Gary E. Larson

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