Part 3

Summary

Mississippi kites were studied in southwestern Kansas in the summer of 1961, at various localities, especially at Meade State Park. At this locality, near the northwestern limit of the breeding range, the kite thrives in typical High Plains habitat dominated by a short-grass type of vegetation, but availability of trees suitable for nests is a limiting factor. Since maturing of extensive groves of cottonwoods and other trees planted at Meade State Park, the colony of kites has increased tremendously and the breeding population probably exceeded 100 in 1961.

The kites are social in all their activities and do not maintain territories. The sexes differ little in appearance, but males are slightly smaller than females and have paler heads. Food consists almost entirely of flying insects, and these are usually eaten while the kite is in flight. Kites that are feeding nestlings may travel up to two miles from the nest or perhaps considerably farther in the course of their foraging. For 148 feedings of nestlings the observed intervals averaged 10.7 minutes. Most published references to the food habits mention predation on small vertebrates, especially lizards, but including also snakes, toads, rodents, and even rabbits. In my study a total of 205 pellets were collected and 453 insects were tentatively identified but the total number of insects in the pellets was much larger. No vertebrates were identified from this sample and among 358 prey items identified from kite stomachs collected in Oklahoma, by Sutton, vertebrae of a small fish were the only vertebrate remains. Further verification of predation on mammals, reptiles and amphibians by this species is needed. Of the insects distinguished in pellets, beetles including carabids, cicindelids, hydrophilids, scarabaeids, and silphids were most numerous (270) and grasshoppers (164) were second; also there were 16 cicadas and three moths.

Kites arrive in Kansas about the second week in May. Often old nests are repaired and used over again. Hatching is about mid-June. Normally there are two eggs per clutch. By mid-August the fledglings are learning to fly. By the latter part of August they are learning to capture their insect prey, and in early September southward movement of the entire population begins.

Eggs and/or young in many nests are destroyed by hail or high wind in the sudden violent storms that are characteristic of the High Plains. Mississippi kites are often shot by misguided persons, and benefit little from the protection supposedly provided by Federal law. However, the adults probably have few natural enemies. The high ratio of older adults to yearlings indicates that the life expectancy is long. Through their second summer the kites retain their barred immature plumage, and can be readily distinguished from adults. Only ten per cent of the kites recorded in 108 June sight records at the Park were in juvenile plumage.

Literature Cited

AUDUBON, J. J. 1840. The birds of America. Philadelphia, pp. xv + 246.

BENDIRE, C. E. 1892. Life histories of North American birds. U. S. National Mus. Spec. Bull. 1, viii + 446 pp.

BENT, A. C. 1937. Life histories of North American birds of prey. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 167, x + 409 pp. 102 pls.

CHAPMAN, F. M. 1891. On the birds observed near Corpus Christi, Texas, during parts of March and April, 1891. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 3:315-328.

EISENMANN, E. 1963. Mississippi kite in Argentina, with comments on migration and plumage in the genus Ictinia. Auk, 80:74-77.

GANIER, A. F. 1902. The Mississippi kite (Ictinia mississippiensis). The Osprey, vol. 1 (new series), No. 6:85-90.

GOSS, N. S. 1891. History of the birds of Kansas. Geo. W. Crane and Co., Topeka, 692 pp.

NICE, M. M. 1931. The birds of Oklahoma (rev.). Publ. Univ. Oklahoma, vol. 3, Biol. Surv. No. 1, 261 pp.

SUTTON, G. M. 1939. The Mississippi kite in spring. Condor, 41(2):41-52.

WAYNE, A. T. 1910. Birds of South Carolina. Contr. Charleston Mus., No. 1, viii + 254 pp. The Daggett Printing Co., Charleston, S. C.

Transmitted June 3, 1963.

29-7863

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Transcriber's Notes

Emphasis Notation:

Text : Represents Italics

Typographical Corrections

With the exception of the five typographical corrections listed below, the text of this file is that which is contained in the original printed volume:

Page 505: misspelling - misisippiensis => mississippiensis Page 505: missing period - op cit. => op. cit. Page 510: missing period - op cit. => op. cit. Page 514: misspelling - sqeaking => squeaking Page 515: misspelling - harrassed => harassed