Mississippi Kites ...

We have two families of the Kites that reside in our neighborhood. I have seen up to six of them, five in one grouping. They are a dove grey bird, smaller of the predator hawk group. They are primary insect eaters, insects like Cicadas but also prey on birds, small animals and lizards (Fritz better watch out).

They are very graceful fliers, while they do soar a bit it is more common to have them flying between trees and over the vacant lots. They like to nest in our Post Oaks; we had one nest across the street from us a couple of years ago.

They are migratory birds and do winter in South America. I am not sure all of them leave us in winter. They have taken to living close to urban areas and seem to enjoy or tolerate us humans (like Fritz does). And like Purple Martins eat their weight in insects - that's a good thing.

In my morning walk there are two locales for them along my route. They like to roost in the tops of trees with bare limbs or even dead trees. You will often see a youngster by himself. The parents come by and stay close but the youngster has to do his own hunting and thus is forced to grow up. I am sure he is building up stamina for that long flight to Uruguay or Paraguay, even Argentina.

They are smaller in size than Red Tailed Hawks grow to be. But they have pointed wing tips and a distinct V shaped tail. So they look very graceful in flight.

Apparently they return to their initial territories every year. Since they are getting more common they have been found as far North as New Hampshire but generally range around the lower Mississippi Valley and West as far as New Mexico.

Since they are migratory birds they are protected. So one can not disturbe their nests or hunt them for instance. They are not rare, but like Ducks are protected so that they will not become extinct. There seems to be no danger of that.

So every morning, I look for them. I seem always to find the two youngsters. Though one day saw a family of five. When the sun gets up a bit and the insects start coming alive, they are off hunting for food. So they do not tarry for long after sun rise.

Nature is always around us . . .