Mississippi Kite Nesting Summary for NH - 2025

[Steve Mirick]

PLEASE NOTE - I WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE LOCATIONS OF MOST OR ALL OF
THESE NESTS QUIET UNLESS THE CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT AND I ENCOURAGE ANYONE
WHO FINDS A NEST TO KEEP THE LOCATION SECRET.  THE POPULARITY OF THESE
BIRDS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS (AND BIRDERS WITH CAMERAS) IS A MESSY SITUATION
WITH HOME OWNERS AND NEIGHBORS. The kites don't seem to care at all, but
the people do.

Mississippi Kites had a roller coaster summer in NH this year, but ended
on a high note with TWO SUCCESSFUL NESTS AND TWO FLEDGED YOUNG!  This is
the first year with two fledged young since 2020. The Kites first became
famous by nesting in Newmarket in 2008 and this is (at least) the 18th
consecutive year that kites (between 1 and 4 pairs) have nested in New
Hampshire in this isolated, rare, nesting colony.

DURHAM #1 - Things started out early with a Kite photographed in Durham
on 5/11, but nesting activity didn't get going until a pair was seen in
the vicinity of the UNH campus on May 30th and then copulating and nest
building by mid-June!  But Fish Crows continue to be a nuisance for the
Durham pair and may be the reason (again) for their nesting failure.  By
the end of June it was apparent that the nest had FAILED!

NEWMARKET - Meanwhile over in Newmarket, things looked promising as
well.  A Kite appeared in early June and continued to be seen until it
was joined by a 2nd bird.  These two were seen copulating on June
14th!!  But once again, the Newmarket birds were ephemeral!?  The last
report of any kites came on July 4th of a single bird. What happened? 
Kites have not been confirmed nesting in Newmarket now since 2019.

DOVER - by mid-August, things were looking very bleak for the Kites. 
Two territories, and two failures.  But then a Kite was reported in
DOVER (!) on August 23rd.  No Kites had ever been reported up here!  By
the following day, two birds were reported! And then a nest with a
single chick was located hidden high up and deep in a White Pine tree in
someone's back yard in a residential neighborhood.  Barely visible.  The
chick was large and likely fledged somewhere between 8/25 and 8/28.  The
chick continued to be seen flying around the neighborhood at least until
September 8th when it would have been between 11 and 14 days after
fledging.  This nest is approximately 3 miles distance from the Durham
#1 neighborhood and is not likely to be the failed nesters from Durham.

DURHAM #2 - An eBird report of a "glimpse" of a Kite in an area of
southern Durham on August 24th inspired Jane and I to search the area. 
This is also where Kite activity (but no nest) was observed in 2024.  So
we went out on August 25th and found another nest!  Our 2nd Kite nest
discovery in two days!!!  Once again, with a single large kite chick. 
And once again in a large white pine in a residential neighborhood in
someone's back yard.  It's estimated that this Kite fledged on September
1st or 2nd.  It was still in the area and being fed by one adult on 9/13
and likely departed the area sometime after September 14th.  This is the
latest nest that I know of in NH and highlights how late their nesting
season can take place.  Working backward, I estimated that incubation
likely started in the last week of June or possibly even into the first
of July!

Unfortunately, no birds at all were reported from Stratham or Greenland
where they have nested in past years.

A summary of confirmed fledged Kites (and pairs of kites present) from
recent years in NH:

2017 - 0 (3 pairs)
2018 - 3 (3 pairs)
2019 - 2 (3 pairs)
2020 - 3 (3 pairs)
2021 - 1 (4 pairs)
2022 - 1 (4 or 5 pairs)
2023 - 1 (4 pairs)
2024 - 0 (3 pairs)
2025 - 2 (4 pairs)

Thanks to all who helped out this year and contributed to this information.


Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA