Rockville Mississippi kites: thoughts?

[Jim Felley]

Checking eBird Rare Bird Alerts for Maryland, I noticed that as of yesterday, the Mississippi Kite chicks on both of the Rockville area nests are still hanging around at their nest sites, with their parents in attendance.

Checking the Hawkcount site (https://hawkcount.org/), I see that huge numbers of migrating Mississippi kites are already in south Texas and Mexico!  

I wonder if the local parents are getting a little antsy to get moving.  Does anyone know if Mississippi kites migrate as families in the fall?  Will the parents be showing the kids how to hunt before they leave?  Or on the way south?  Or do they let them figure things out for themselves?  Thoughts or observations welcome!

Jim

Jim Felley

Clarksburg, MD

[Rick Borchelt]

Hatchlings usually leave the nest area before their parents before migration for a period of wandering, and are presumed to hook up with the casual flocks that form this time of year for the flight down through Texas.  In spring they may return to the original nest site (later than the parents) and may even help with raising the next brood unless the parents chase them off.  

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Rick Borchelt
College Park, MD
preferred personal email:  rborchelt |AT| gmail |DOT| com

http://leplog.wordpress.com

[Jim Nelson]

Jim,

I'm no expert, but I checked the Birds of the World species account for Mississippi Kite and found the following tidbits.

"Most fall migration in North America occurs late Aug-mid-Sep as small postbreeding flocks wander and combine. Extended flocks approach and exceed 1,000 individuals in s. Texas in late Aug-early Oct ..., and most kites are south of U.S. by mid-Oct. Commonly a few individuals tarry..."

"No known variation in rates of movement between individuals of eastern and western populations, nor between sexes, nor between adults and juveniles, although yearlings may leave nesting areas before adults do ... Juveniles are often observed in postbreeding and migratory flocks."

With respect to fledgling kites, "Adults feed vocal fledglings for at least 15–20 d after fledging...Fledglings are reluctant fliers to about 50 d of age; clumsy in handling prey, which they often drop ... They frequent nest area and may return to nest up to 10 d after fledging ... Fledglings attempt to catch insects with adults after 50+ d ...; forage with adults at 64 d ..."

Nothing specific about parent/fledgling interaction during migration, not surprising because it would be impossible to monitor once they are on the move south.

Jim Nelson

Bethesda

[Robert McLean]

Hi Jim-

One thing that I read on the Carolina Bird Collorborative was that a couple of weeks ago, there were over 1000 kites grouped together at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (actually located in South Carolina). Most of the birds were Mississippi Kites, but there were also decent numbers of Swallow-tailed Kites (30-35, if I recall correctly). Also, I have also previously read that these kite groups do regularly form in August.

 It’s a premigration phenomenon, I think.

I am not sure if the juvenile birds join in. A ranger at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge would probably know. I have talked to some of the rangers previously when I was visiting the area, and they were very helpful. You could probably call and ask for a ranger keeps tabs on the bird life.

Good birding!

Taylor McLean

Baltimore, MD

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 25, 2025, at 2:25 PM, 'Jim Nelson' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbi...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



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[Jim Felley]

I asked for thoughts and observations, and I got plenty of excellent ones!  Thank you all for your insights and citations.  

Jim