Swallow-Tailed Kite Conservation
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE CONSERVATION
How you can make a difference
Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation l 1 SWALLOW-TAILED KITES IN MISSISSIPPI
CONSERVATION
e ight of this elegant species of hawk is singularly beautiful and protracted. It moves through the air with such ease and grace, that it is impossible for any “individual … not to be delighted by the sight of it whilst on wing.” - John James Audubon
2 l Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation l 3 The Swallow-tailed Kite’s appeal is positively charismatic. Perhaps this is why tial limb. The nest is relatively small, turbing a nest and should leave the The Mississippi roughly 1.5-2 ft. in diameter. The area. Roosting kites are sensitive to Department of Wildlife, birders, wildlife photographers, and nature enthusiasts travel to Mississippi pair adorns the stick platform with the same types of disturbance as lichen-covered twigs, curtains of nesting kites. Since roosts are often Fisheries, & Parks from around the world to glimpse this rare bird of prey during the spring and Spanish moss and light green old along waterways, boat tra c and jet seeks to: summer before it migrates to southern Brazil for the winter man’s beard lichens. skis are additional potential sources . of disturbance. Give the birds space, • document important We need your help! Some about 300 ft. if possible, and move nesting, roosting and things you can do to help through the area as steadily and as feeding areas in the quietly as you can. state he U.S. population of the the Swallow-tailed Kite TSwallow-tailed Kite was once found in up to 21 states. include: Habitat management. • work with landown- After dramatic declines due ers to conserve these to persecution and habitat Report all sightings of Swal- Private landowners have a unique centers of kite activity, loss from the late 1800s to low-tailed Kites to the Mississippi opportunity to help protect Swal- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, especially nest sites early 1900s, it’s now regularly low-tailed Kites in Mississippi. Vol- and Parks’ Mississippi Museum of found in only the Gulf Coast untary enhancements and manage- Natural Science - • increase the number states, Georgia, and South ment techniques can encourage of Swallow-tailed Kite Carolina. While not federally call: 601-576-6000 and protect Swallow-tailed Kites on threatened or endangered, or email: your property, furthering their re- breeding pairs and the species is protected by [email protected] covery within our state. expand their breeding the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, range northward be- and Mississippi considers the Anyone enjoying the outdoors Though kites use a variety of hab- yond central Mississippi Swallow-tailed Kite a Species should keep their eyes peeled. Tur- itats, they depend on forests for of Greatest Conservation key hunters are in the woods during nesting - usually bottomland Need. kite courtship and nest-building. forests. Anglers and boaters should be on Surveys have found Swal- the lookout for kite roosts as they low-tailed Kites nesting in ply our waterways since most roosts the lower Pearl and Pasca- occur along streams, rivers and ox- goula river basins, along bows. with a small, recently discov- ered population in central Mississippi. Much of the land spies a wasp nest, it grasps and snaps o the supporting Avoid disturbing nesting and where these birds are found, especially along the Pearl twig before ying away as swiftly as possible to avoid River and in central Mississippi, is privately owned. If the adult guards. During nesting, parents also hunt small roosting Swallow-tailed Kites. we are to conserve this beautiful bird in our state, we vertebrates from the treetops, including tree frogs, an- must rely on our greatest resource - our people. Private oles, rough green snakes, tree-roosting bats, and small Kites are most sensitive to distur- citizens, landowners, foresters, farmers, land managers, nestling birds. bance during courtship, nest build- hunters and anglers can all take an active role in helping ing, and early incubation. Some these birds while they spend the nesting season in our Kite habitat is made up of a variety of land uses, often a may be easily disturbed through- state. patchwork of bottomland hardwoods, pine plantations, out the nesting period until young clear cuts, pastures and croplands. This diversity of land disperse beyond the nest. Do not Swallow-tailed Kites are social birds, often hunting and uses in close proximity provides an abundance of prey stand under an active nest or with- roosting together. They usually nest within relative prox- and excellent hunting conditions within close range of in plain view of a nesting kite. It is imity of each other, in what are called “nesting neighbor- the nest. In Mississippi, nests are usually found in ma- best to maintain a distance of 300 ft. hoods.” Typical neighborhoods consist of 2-7 pairs nest- ture bottomland hardwood forests, often in a tree on from an active nest. Other types of ing within 0.4-1 square mile. During July and August, or near a clearing or edge (e.g., lake, river, stream, eld, activities that could cause injury to while gearing up for southbound migration, communal pine plantation, block cut). Sweetgum and various oaks kites or nest abandonment include night roosts can swell to over 75 individuals. When feed- are more commonly used. The crown of the nest tree ying drones over nests, ying heli- ing on insect swarms, over 30 kites may gather to feed typically has an opening on at least one side that pro- copters or other aircraft within 800 over one eld. vides a view and allows su cient room for the parents, ft. of a nest, or operating heavy ma- with their 4-ft. wingspans, to y into and out of the nest. chinery near a nest. In any case, if Swallow-tailed Kites feed primarily on ying insects, and Kites place their nests in the upper 10-15% of a tall tree, kites are continuously calling, or y may specialize in eating paper wasp larvae. When a kite anchored at a fork on the main trunk or of a substan- over you and call, you could be dis-
4 l Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation l 5 forests after timber operations, especially near streams, possible, avoid the use of neurotoxic insecticides that rivers and lakes. are known to harm birds (neonicotinoids, and organo- phosphates) such as Imidacloprid and Chlorpyrifos. Crop disking and haying during spring and summer make ying insects readily available to kites. Telemetry There are many other voluntary actions landowners data have revealed that kites may travel many miles to can take to help Swallow-tailed Kites. Spring and sum- feed over such areas. Allowing elds to stand fallow mer controlled burns of forests and elds stir up y- (e.g., wheat, soybean, and other harvested crops) over ing insects, which attract kites from many miles away. the spring and summer can also provide great sources Known nest sites should be left unburned from March of ying insects. Fields of unharvested watermelons can 15 through August 15 to avoid harming nesting kites. produce huge numbers of beetles as the melons rot. If Also, exhaustive burns that leave little understory or
Kites tend to use older, taller trees Additional voluntary measures are techniques that allow for future for nesting and roosting, but will available for landowners wishing kite habitat. Leave some emergent feed over all types of forest, in- to keep Swallow-tailed Kites on to super-emergent trees that are cluding young and old pine plan- their property. Kites will often nest taller than the residual canopy, or tations. Forests managed for tim- in a prior year’s nest tree or an ad- retain clumps of canopy trees if ber can provide vital habitat for jacent tree. Former nest sites could performing a stand-replacement Swallow-tailed Kites. However, one be monitored for 5 years following harvest. Ideally, these clumps of the biggest threats is the possi- the last nesting attempt before would be adjacent to unharvested bility that a nest site or an entire harvesting is conducted within forest to minimize risks from wind nesting neighborhood might be 300 ft. of a nest tree. Consider the and lightning. Leaving a 300 ft. logged during the breeding sea- surrounding area when planning bu er of trees along both sides of a son, causing loss of eggs and/or timber harvests - given the social stream will maintain suitable habi- nestlings. At a minimum, please nature of the species, it is import- tat. If this isn’t possible, leaving a consider avoiding harvesting nest ant to ensure su cient area of smaller bu er of even 2-3 trees in trees along with a wooded buf- mature forest in any one year that depth along both sides of a wa- fer, at least until nesting has com- could support a nesting neighbor- terway may still bene t kites. Kites pleted. Suggested bu ers around hood of 2-7 pairs (approximately sometimes nest and roost in older known nests or the outer margins 0.4-1 square mile). Identify suit- pine plantations. These stands can of nesting neighborhoods are 750 able nesting and roosting habitat be improved for kites by thinning ft. from March 15 through May 31, in streamside zones, and along once canopy closure occurs. Most shrinking to a 300 ft. bu er from transition zones between wet low- nests in pine plantations are lo- June 1 through August 15, or un- lands and drier uplands within a cated along one of the take rows til young birds are capable of sus- one-mile radius of active nests. If because this a ords them enough tained ight. timber harvests are planned for room to y in and out of the nest these areas, consider management easily. It is important to regenerate
6 l Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation Swallow-tailed Kite Conservation l 7 midstory near nests attract Great Horned Owls, a main If dead limbs and snags are lacking, roost trees can be kite predator. Kites are attracted to ponds and lakes as created by girdling a few canopy trees. sites to hunt dragon ies and other insects and to drink and bathe. Providing a 1.5-2 acre body of water could be Working together, we can help Swallow-tailed Kites inviting to kites. Planting a catalpa tree could be bene - make a comeback in Mississippi! If you believe you have cial since the caterpillars that depend on them are well- Swallow-tailed Kites on your property, or would like to known kite prey. Kites roost in live trees, dead limbs and discuss in further detail ways you can help these birds, snags. They’ll sometimes roost in a live tree because it please contact MDWFP’s Mississippi Museum of Natural provides shelter from rain, then y to a nearby dead tree Science. We would be happy to perform a site visit and in the morning to face the sun and dry o . Retain dead discuss voluntary measures you can take to help Missis- trees along waterways and forest edges for roosting. sippi recover the Swallow-tailed Kite.
Identi cation: The common Mississippi Kite is sometimes mistaken for the rare Swallow-tailed Kite.
Swallow-tailed Kite • white head, breast • wings and tail are black with a bluish cast; leading edge of underwing is white • larger size and wingspan (48 inches) • long, deeply forked tail
Mississippi Kite • light gray head, breast • charcoal black wings, tail • smaller with shorter wingspan (31 inches) • short, squared o tail
is document was produced with the support of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks’ Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (State Wildlife Grants), and in partnership with Orleans Audubon Society and Avian Research and Conservation Institute. Design & Layout: Dan Milner / www.DanMilnerDesigns.com We wish to thank the following contributing photographers for the use of their images: Robert Stalnaker, Katie Houvener, Steve Byland and Jennifer Coulson.