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Swallow Tailed Kite
Posted on 7/27/22 at 1:23 pm
Posted on 7/27/22 at 1:23 pm
We just built a home in rural Broussard and have trees and creeks/bayous near. This week we started seeing about 10 Swallow tailed Kites circling the area. They look pretty badass and evidently have the other birds pretty shy.
Anyone run in to these birds? Thoughts?
Anyone run in to these birds? Thoughts?
15
Posted on 7/27/22 at 1:24 pm to ShermanTxTiger
quote:they are all over my neighborhood every summer.. don't seem to bother other birds at all
We just built a home in rural Broussard and have trees and creeks/bayous near. This week we started seeing about 10 Swallow tailed Kites circling the area. They look pretty badass and evidently have the other birds pretty shy.
Anyone run in to these birds? Thoughts?
Posted on 7/27/22 at 1:27 pm to ShermanTxTiger
They are being seen regularly(twice by me) near the Cypress/Flora exit on I-49 south of Natchitoches.
Posted on 7/27/22 at 1:28 pm to ShermanTxTiger
Kites are freaking awesome birds.
Posted on 7/27/22 at 2:18 pm to ShermanTxTiger
quote:
Anyone run in to these birds? Thoughts?
I've seen more in the Panhandle this July than I've ever seen before. They gather in August in fields to feed before migrating south. Last fall I saw around 200 in a watermelon field near the Suwanee River in Florida. They were feeding on huge numbers of dragonflies (Carolina Saddlebags to be specific). I've seen even larger numbers in a field in coastal Georgia, also in August, feeding on June Beetles. It's just an awesome thing to watch. Gorgeous bird.
They don't really eat other birds, but will go after their eggs, and young in the nest.
Posted on 7/27/22 at 2:25 pm to Tigris
We had one hanging around a year or so ago. Haven't seen one since then. Cool bird!
Posted on 7/27/22 at 2:52 pm to ShermanTxTiger
Center for Birds of Prey form to report sitings
Edit to add: Purple is year round. Yellow is migration. Orange is breeding areas.
They will send you a report at the end of the year with a map of sightings. The lady that runs the program always is glad to hear about the pair I see every year in Winn Parish since it is so far from the coast.
Edit to add: Purple is year round. Yellow is migration. Orange is breeding areas.
They will send you a report at the end of the year with a map of sightings. The lady that runs the program always is glad to hear about the pair I see every year in Winn Parish since it is so far from the coast.
This post was edited on 7/27/22 at 3:01 pm
Posted on 7/27/22 at 2:55 pm to ShermanTxTiger
I saw three circling in Lacombe yesterday as I was driving thru.
Posted on 7/27/22 at 2:59 pm to ShermanTxTiger
I got a photo of one last spring passing through the downtown Lake Charles area.
LINK
imgur link. Photo from my phone but it was brilliant against the blue sky that day.
LINK
imgur link. Photo from my phone but it was brilliant against the blue sky that day.
Posted on 7/27/22 at 3:06 pm to Speckhunter2012
Sometimes when I mow with my tractor, several will sit in the top of trees and swoop down and catch the green grasshoppers as they jump up and away from my mower. Awesome birds.
I think they may be Mississippi Kites
I think they may be Mississippi Kites
This post was edited on 7/27/22 at 3:25 pm
Posted on 7/27/22 at 3:18 pm to ShermanTxTiger
Saw one swoop down and grab a bug while at my parent's last weekend. Was pretty close to me, awesome to see. This was in Youngsville.
Posted on 7/27/22 at 3:47 pm to Nawlens Gator
quote:
I think they may be Mississippi Kites
Nearly all of what we see in SWLA are Mississippi Kites.
I had never seen the Swallow Tail around LC prior to that day. Migration, I am sure.
If you get a good look, the long forks of the Swallow Tail should really stand out. Both are beautiful raptors.
No highjack meant but we are seeing Cara Cara's now south of Lake Charles. Those are beautiful black and white falcon-like raptors. I used to only see them starting west of Houston around the Colorado River at Columbus. They have expanded their range.
Posted on 7/27/22 at 4:10 pm to Speckhunter2012
quote:
Swallow Tailed Kite
I got a photo of one last spring passing
You photo is better than the last one I took of them. All you see is a whole screen of blue sky except a tiny swallowtail kite in the bottom left hand corner.
It was so bright that day I couldn't see my phone and just started taking pics.
Posted on 7/27/22 at 4:49 pm to ShermanTxTiger
pretty decent size raptor as they don't appear this big flying in the sky. (48" wing-span)
Hard to miss that long V tail, and snow-white head and distinct markings
Hard to miss that long V tail, and snow-white head and distinct markings
Posted on 7/27/22 at 6:31 pm to Speckhunter2012
quote:
No highjack meant but we are seeing Cara Cara's now south of Lake Charles. Those are beautiful black and white falcon-like raptors. I used to only see them starting west of Houston around the Colorado River at Columbus. They have expanded their range.
I first saw caracaras 12-14 years ago in Cameron Prairie.
Cool birds.
We have Mississippi Kites here in central St. Landry. We've seen them for years. I've seen Swallow-tailed Kites in the basin before. Kites are cool birds in general, but especially when you see those big hunting groups. Haven't seen one in years, but we'd see Mississippis hunting in a group of 15-20 birds.
Posted on 7/28/22 at 6:01 am to Speckhunter2012
Two years ago I watched a pair circling the ball park on Picard Road in Sulphur and one in Westlake on Sampson a few weeks later. I had only seen them in the Atchafalaya Basin area.
There are quite a few Cara Cara near the Holmwood area. I watched one run in a plowed field near LC. It was near Lake Street and Gauthier Road. Oddly enough there was a recurring Swainson's Hawk at that intersection.
There are quite a few Cara Cara near the Holmwood area. I watched one run in a plowed field near LC. It was near Lake Street and Gauthier Road. Oddly enough there was a recurring Swainson's Hawk at that intersection.
Posted on 7/28/22 at 8:37 am to Cowboyfan89
Based upon what I see on a couple of La. bird pages, the LC area gets more rare(for La.) birds than anywhere else. Especially, raptors.
Posted on 7/28/22 at 9:09 am to Cowboyfan89
quote:
I first saw caracaras 12-14 years ago in Cameron Prairie.
never seen one of those, but wish to one day.
I saw a bunch of Swallow Tailed Kites in the big bend area of Florida a couple of months ago. Badass birds.
Took this picture of one:
This post was edited on 7/28/22 at 9:09 am
Posted on 7/28/22 at 5:16 pm to AlxTgr
quote:
Based upon what I see on a couple of La. bird pages, the LC area gets more rare(for La.) birds than anywhere else. Especially, raptors.
Has alot to do with the coastal region (specifically Peveto Woods) and proximity to Texas. Between the spring migration and eastward expansion of historically western species, SWLA is the perfect place for seeing "rare" birds in Louisiana.
I saw the fork-tailed fly catcher that was hanging out southeast of Lake Charles a few years ago. Black-bellied whistling ducks first showed up in LA down there as they expanded east from Texas. I think there have even been reports of great kiskadees nesting near Lebleu Settlement for a few years now.
Posted on 7/29/22 at 5:03 am to ShermanTxTiger
Yes, we see a couple of pairs every summer in our area. Currently have a pair of Mississippi Kites nesting somewhere close. Very cool birds.
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