It is a southern bird which nests in the southern half of the Gulf states, in the southern Mississippi River Valley, and in the southern Great Plains. This southern state name also suggests its breeding range. The Mississippi Kite was “discovered” by the early American ornithologist, Alexander Wilson, in Mississippi, hence its name. Most kites are slim birds in flight they glide and soar gracefully, circling and swooping, somewhat similar to the way a paper kite on a string “flies.” The paper kite was named after the bird, not the other way around. “Kite” does not refer to genetic relationship, but rather to physical and behavioral similarities. There are five “kites” seen in North America, none in the same genus. “Kite” (from a Greek word) is a common name loosely applied to several kinds of medium-sized hawks.
Mississippi kite birds pa driver#
So the next time a motorist stopped next to me, I answered, “A rare hawk,” and the satisfied driver moved along.Ĭalling the Mississippi Kite “a rare hawk” is barely accurate. Her answer, “Mississippi Kite,” followed by definition and commentary, backed up traffic. Most of the question answering was done by the local birdwatcher who lived a block away. What kind of paper kite is a Mississippi Kite, and why would a bunch of graying adults be looking at that with so much intensity? But a kite is a flimsy paper thing that kids try to fly on windy March days. Had I said that there was a hot air balloon caught on an antenna, a cat stuck in a tree, or even an eagle soaring overhead, there would have been understanding. When another car stopped next to me and asked the question, I responded, “Mississippi Kite.” The look on her face was blank incomprehension. A trucker paused his rig, leaned out the window and asked, “What are you looking at?” A car stopped in the middle of the road, and asked the same question while three cars back the driver beeped impatiently.
Mississippi kite birds pa drivers#
Passing drivers craned their necks for a glimpse of whatever it was we were looking at. There were several telescopes on tripods, and a couple of very serious cameras with three foot telephoto lens. About a dozen people were standing around, looking up. I was on a sidewalk in a small town in eastern New Hampshire. What is a Mississippi Kite doing in New Hampshire? Before answering that question, there is this one: What is a Mississippi Kite?
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