One of the more mysterious birds to make their appearance here in Florida in mid-spring to late summer is the Swallow-tailed Kite. It is one of the most beautiful of all the raptors that either reside or migrate to Florida, for they are unmistakable when one sees them soaring high overhead in the skies.
For the past few weeks, we have observed a small group of Swallow-tailed Kites which started from a few to 8 birds now. They were flying very high in the air in circular patterns. They prefer very densely packed woodlands with a mix of younger, old and very tall trees. We have pine trees, oaks and cypress trees in this area. There is also plenty of bodies of water in this area too.
In Florida, there is large amounts of Spanish Moss hanging from the trees for them to line their nest and to keep their eggs and young warm and comfortable. Swallow-tailed Kites are known to be a less vocal raptor. However, this evening as they circled overhead together in a group of 8, they were very vocal and loud as they communicated to each other while in flight. They glided in the air without flapping their wings. Swallow-tailed Kites will rarely flap their wings while in flight but they will continuously rotate their tail around 90 degrees as they trace circles in the sky.
----------
View A Photo Of A Group Of Swallow-tailed Kites Soaring
View A Photo Of A Swallow-tailed Kite Soaring
View A Photo Of A Swallow-tailed Kite Drinking Water
----------
Swallow-tailed Kites are a medium sized hawk. This beautiful and graceful black and white raptor has a body length of 19-26 inches. Their wingspan is around 4 feet and they weigh around 13-17 ounces. They have a long and forked tail which resembles the forked tail of some Swallows. The average weight of a Swallow-tailed Kite is over 1 pound. They live in forested wetlands with swamps and marshes, and they are found in the southeastern United States including here in Florida. Like most raptors, the female can be a slightly larger and heavier than the male. Both the male and female have a solid white face and neck.
The main diet of Swallow-tailed Kites are insects, small birds, reptiles such as Anoles and small snakes and amphibians such as Tree Frogs. They will capture their prey from the highest tree tops as they fly gracefully in circular patterns to locate it. They will also capture insects such as dragonflies in midair and eat their prey while gliding high in the sky. They drink by skimming the surface of a pond or marsh and collecting the water in their beak.
Swallow-tailed Kites mate between March and May. The female and male help build the stick-like nest. The nests are built in trees high in the tree canopies and they are built near bodies of water. The female will lay 2 to 4 eggs and the incubation lasts around 28 days. It takes 36-42 days for the young Kites to fledge the nest. They may nests in small and scattered colonies and forage for food in small groups as well. If you happen to see one of these beautiful raptors in the skies overhead, stop to observe one of the most graceful of fliers in the Florida skies.
Article Written By Dawn La Follette