Kites in Flight

[TractorGuy]

We had 5 of our Mississippi Kites flying around over the barn yesterday. They have become comfortable with having us spectate and sometimes do a fly through between our barn and garage at eye level.

 

[oosik]

Hmm--- big bird. Do they see something that can be caught and eaten?

 

[TractorGuy]

They aren't as large as that zoomed in pic makes it look but good size birds.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Hmm--- big bird. Do they see something that can be caught and eaten?

I watched one in my back yard a couple of years ago, and he was catching dragonflies in mid flight. Yeah, he was close, just above the electric lines, and I could indeed see him catch the dragonflies. I was amazed; not only that he could catch a dragonfly in the air, but that he would want to!

 

[3Ts]

We had Everglades kites in Florida visit us one year, big birds and very graceful. There was a bird nest in an oak tree in our backyard. We watched the kites and the other birds try to chase them away and were mostly successful we did not realize what the kites were after. Once we saw a kite grab a chick from the nest we intervened by putting a barrier in front of the nest. The kites then went else where and never came back. (only saw them the one year out of the 30 we were there)

 

[TractorGuy]

Ours have been growing in numbers for a couple of years.

Haven't seen them robbing any nests or being chased by other birds.

 

[TractorGuy]

Got some good shots of one of our kites this morning. This one circles the property and returns to sit in this tree most of the day making it's two syllable call.