re: I have seen at least 9 Swallow-tail Kites this year.

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Please Report Swallow-tailed Kite Sightings



Biologist, Jennifer Coulson, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) request reports of sightings of this rare bird. Of particular interest are:

any sightings of a kite on LDWF managed lands,
areas where kites are often seen,
sightings of more than one kite,
sightings were kite(s) vocalized (giving kee-kee-kee, or klee-klee-klee calls),
kites carrying nest material or food,
nests or roosts, and
any kites found injured, ill, or dead.
Please report the following information about each sighting (if known):

Date of sighting
Time of day
Number observed
Location [please be specific and include the Parish or County, nearest town and approximate distance to it, nearest road (including street address if applicable) or road junctions, nearest river or creek]
What birds were observed doing (e.g., one perched in a cottonwood while another circled overhead)
Observer's name and contact information (phone number with area code and e-mail address)
To Report a Sighting:
E-mail Jennifer Coulson: Jacoulson@aol.com
Or call her: (504) 717-3544

Jennifer Coulson is studying the population ecology of the Swallow-tailed Kite. She is trying to determine: the geographic range of this species within Louisiana and Mississippi, the current population size, and factors that may limit the current population size. Aspects of her study include nest monitoring, a radio-telemetry based survivorship study, characterization of nesting and roosting habitat, and aerial surveys of premigration roosts.

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