Is a Swallow-tailed Kite a bird of prey?

Is a Swallow-tailed Kite a bird of prey?

Swallow-tailed Kites, like all birds of prey, eat meat. But, they have also been observed eating fruit from trees in Costa Rica, Peru, Brazil and other places. Swallow-tailed Kites are very social birds. They flock together, especially during migration, and even nest in loose colonies.

What is a swallowtail bird?

From its bill to the tips of its forked tail, the Swallow-tailed Kite measures almost two feet long, with a wingspan of over four feet. Its white body and black wings and distinctive tail make it easy to identify. This bird is usually seen in flight, often high over the trees, and is not often heard.

Are Swallow-tailed Kites endangered?

Although the species is not federally threatened or endangered, it is protected by the federal Mi- gratory Bird Treaty Act and state laws. It is against the law to harm or shoot a Swallow-tailed Kite, take one from the wild, or destroy a nest or eggs.

Why is the Swallow-tailed Kite important?

With a long, forked tail, four-foot wingspan, and elegant flight, this striking black-and-white raptor is a “winged ambassador” that helps landowners recognize the critical role they can play in the conservation of birds and other wildlife.

Are Swallow-tailed Kites rare?

Swallow-tailed Kites are beginning to return to former breeding areas, especially in east Texas and Louisiana. They are rare but regular vagrants north of their mapped range, mainly seen in late spring.

Is a swallow-tailed kite a hawk?

The swallow-tailed kite was first described as the “swallow-tail hawk” and “accipiter cauda furcata” (forked-tail hawk) by the English naturalist Mark Catesby in 1731.

What do 2 swallows represent?

The twin swallows are usually the symbol of love, prosperity, and rich family relations, so tattooing two of them can hint at the care and affection, as well as fidelity and loyalty between two soul mates.

Do Swallow-tailed Kites migrate?

Migration. Long-distance migrant or resident. Swallow-tailed Kites from the U.S. migrate to South America. Individuals that breed from Mexico to South America may be resident (nonmigratory) or migrate shorter distances.

Do Swallow-tailed Kites mate for life?

These are monogamous birds that breed once per year, usually around April. They spend the entire breeding season together.

Is the swallow-tailed kite native to Florida?

Although the historic range of swallow-tailed kites extended up the Mississippi River drainage as far as Minnesota, populations had plummeted by the early 1900’s. Today, kites occur mostly in Florida, although they may be found in six other southeastern states.

What kind of bird is swallowtailed kite?

Swallow-tailed Kite – eBird A graceful, uniquely shaped raptor with long, narrow wings and deeply forked tail. Black-and-white with shining blue-gray upperwing.

What do swallow tailed kites eat?

Swallow-tailed Kites primarily eat flying insects such as dragonflies and cicadas, which they capture and consume on the wing. But these predatory acrobats don’t limit themselves to invertebrates: As they cruise the treetops, they also snag snakes, lizards, treefrogs, and even small bird nestlings and eggs.

How many swallow tailed kites are there in the US?

Swallow-tailed Kites have lost much of their historic U.S. range – they used to occur along the Mississippi as far as Minnesota – but populations grew between 1966 and 2014, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight estimates their global population at 150,000 with about 3% breeding in the United States.

Why are swallow-tailed kites in decline?

Although Swallow-tailed Kites seem to be doing relatively well in the far southeast corner of the country, they still haven’t recovered much, if any, of the range they occupied before their precipitous decline in the early 1900s. Permanent habitat loss due to timber harvest and agriculture has almost certainly played a role.