![]() It was originally banded in Kansas in 1984. Very difficult due to all the large trees in the neighborhood. The oldest Mississippi Kite on record was at least 11 years, 2 months old when it was found in Texas in 1995.The pair usually accepts the help, but sometimes chases the yearling away. A 1-year-old kite will often hang around the nest of a breeding pair and may help with defending the nest, incubating the eggs, or even brooding the chicks.Smaller bird species-such as Northern Mockingbirds, Blue Jays, and House Sparrows-may nest near or on kite nests, usually coexisting peacefully with the kites. The kite’s nest may be located next to (or even contain) a wasp nest, which probably helps protect the chicks against climbing predators.At 25-30 days of age they start moving from the nest to nearby tree limbs and back, and they leap into flight several days later. These kites are primarily insectivorous, but would also consume small vertebrates. Nestlings preen each other, arrange nesting material together, and show very little aggression toward their siblings-unusual traits for raptor chicks. Diet: What Do Mississippi Kite Birds Eat.When they nest in city parks and golf courses it can be problematic since the kites tend to dive-bomb people who come too close to their nests. Mississippi Kites have increased in the western part of their range thanks to recent changes in the landscape, such as shelterbelts planted by farmers and ranchers.Eastern birds are less abundant, breed in old-growth forest, and are less likely to nest in colonies. Western birds usually nest colonially in small woodlands on the prairie, where they can be locally abundant. Adult male and female plumages look similar juveniles are brown with heavy streaking on the breast. The head is pearly gray with a black mask surrounding red eyes. The back is dark gray while the breast and belly are almost white. For nesting, requires trees (preferably tall) next to open country. A medium-sized hawk, the Mississippi Kite has long, narrow, pointed wings and a long black tail. Mississippi Kites in the Southeast lead a different life from kites in prairie states to the west. Mississippi Kite Hawks and Eagles Wooded streams groves, shelterbelts.
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