This nest was thought to be the most northerly successful nest for Mississippi Kites that year in the Washington area.įall: When Mississippi Kites nest in the neighborhood, you might see one in or near the park at any time until they take off on the their migration south, which usually occurs around the middle of September. They had nested in the neighborhood next to Monticello in previous years, and in 2017, a pair produced a chick in a nest a block up the hill from the park. The first sighting at Monticello Park was in May, 2016, and kites were seen flying over the park on a few occasions in May, 2017. During the ensuing years, more kites have arrived, and they have slowly moved their breeding activity into Alexandria and Arlington. The first breeding record in the area was in 1995 in Woodbridge, Virginia. (Editor's note: The works of James Parker, Ph.D., a leading authority on the Mississippi Kite, were consulted in the research for this article.Spring: Mississippi Kites have expanded their breeding range into the Washington metro area. By respecting their territory and taking proper precautions, the Vance community can enjoy watching these birds as a part of Oklahoma's diverse wildlife. Miller released it back into the wild.ĭespite their aggressive tendencies, Mississippi Kites are beautiful and fascinating birds. Once old enough to survive on its own, Ms. Miller's rehabilitation center northeast of Enid in Breckinridge. Julie Miller, a state and federally licensed wildlife rehabilitation expert, and her son, Spencer, removed the nest, and raised the baby kite at Ms. 323, was removed due to frequent attacks by a mother kite with one new hatchling. The most recent example was in July 2008, when a nest near the Youth Center, Bldg. Occasionally, birds living on Vance AFB have become a threat, and in the past it has been necessary to move their nests. "I'd never seen that kind of bird before, and I thought, well, it's just another ordinary bird. He received a minor head wound from the encounter, but laughs as he tells the story. Buthman as the first person "to be beaked on the noggin" by a Mississippi Kite. "I received this plaque as a joke," he recalls, showing off a certificate titled "The Purple Beak Award." The certificate identifies Mr. Mark Buthman, the environmental coordinator with the CSC Applied Technologies Civil Engineering Department at Vance AFB, tells a humorous story about his first encounter with a Mississippi Kite. Fortunately, birds that are used to being near humans are less likely to attack, since they are less likely to identify humans as predators.ĭespite precautions, there have been cases when a bird has attacked and harmed passerbys. Carrying an umbrella or holding a large stick above your head can help distract the birds and avoid a collision. When diving, Mississippi Kites will aim for the highest object near their target. Vance AFB has 11 clearly marked locations with inhabited nests. The best precaution against an attack is simply to stay away from kite-inhabited areas. Merely approaching an area with a nest can incite aggressive behavior, though in general, such behavior is limited to diving at the trespasser's head. However, this does not diminish their keen protective instincts. Mississippi Kites usually nest in the highest branches of a tree, well out of reach of predators. The parents are most aggressive once the chicks have hatched and before they leave the nest. The chicks hatch after 30 to 32 days, and are ready to leave the nest after another 30 to 34 days. The female lays two eggs and shares incubation with the male. Identified by their blue-gray plumage, Mississippi Kites are small but very aggressive, especially during mating season. This makes Enid and Vance AFB ideal spots for nesting. Mississippi Kites usually nest in prairie areas with sparsely placed woods, preferably near a farm or small suburban community. Western Oklahoma is right in the middle of one of their most densely populated nesting grounds. Oklahoma has its seasons - blizzard season, tornado season, I-can't-believe-it's-over-110-degrees-again season, and from early May through late July, Mississippi Kite season.Įach year starting in spring, the small raptors known as Mississippi Kites migrate from their tropical South American vacation spots up north to the Great Plains.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |