Mississippi Kite

Mississippi Kite

(Ictinia mississippiensis)

Milano del Mississippi, Gavilán grisillo, Elanio colinegro, Elanio del Mississippi, Milano migratorio, Milano boreal.

Identification: Slim, medium-sized kite with long pointed wings and long tail with noticeable flared tip. Adults are overall grey with pale heads, black tail, and silvery-white secondary, and brown-rufous wingtips. Juveniles have heavily streaked underparts with barred flight feathers and banded tails.

Migratory behavior: Soars extensively especially when using thermals with brief periods of soft, deep buoyant flaps. Migrates in large groups of hundreds or thousands of birds and often mixed with other raptors.

Remarks: This acrobatic aerial hunter is usually seen catching butterflies, dragonflies and other flying invertebrates in the air during migration.