![]() The kite’s keen vision allows it to see attackers from far away and sound a high-pitched alarm call, eee or kee, repeated several times. In fact, these groups of kites often launch cooperative assaults on larger birds of prey, such as bald eagles. Gregarious swallow-tailed kites often nest quite close together in colonies, which offers an advantage in detecting and deterring potential predators. Fledging occurs at about 40 days.Īlthough both kite parents share in their parental duties, the female parent usually guards the nest while the male typically hunts for food. ![]() Both parents share parental duties the male provides more food, but the female remains longer at the nest. The female usually lays 1-2 eggs and incubation lasts from about 28-31 days in two-egg clutches, the first egg is much larger than the second, and has a greater chance of survival. These hard-to-reach areas make it harder for terrestrial animals to reach the nest - but they also make it vulnerable to birds of prey, such as the bald eagle and great horned owl. The nest is constructed of twigs and lined with moss and situated on very small branches in the tops of high trees. As part of its courtship behavior, the male kite has been observed feeding the female before copulation, which is frequent and noisy. Many kite nests are over 100′ from the ground, a height that makes studying the breeding behavior of this elusive bird a challenge. The swallow-tailed kite’s breeding season runs from January through June, depending on the region. However, in the U.S., where the bird formerly occurred in such northern states as Oklahoma, Minnesota and North Carolina, it now occurs only in southern states, such as Texas, Louisiana and Florida.The probable reason for this decline is habitat destruction for farming. In fact, the bird is relatively common over much of its extensive distribution. The swallow-tailed kite is not globally threatened. ![]() High trees near water and plenty of insects create the perfect habitat for the kite. In North America, the kite is found in south Louisiana and south Texas, as well as in southwestern Florida, where large kite po-pulations inhabit the secluded mangrove swamps there, they find plentiful swarms of flying insects to feast on and tall trees in which to nest. It frequents these areas in Mexico, Central America and much of South America. The swallow-tailed kite prefers the high trees and leafy expanses of open woods, swamps, bayous, marshes and hardwood forests. A migratory bird, the swallow-tailed kite spends only half the year in North America, usually arriving in March and leaving by September to winter in South America.
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