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.