I spent several hours with the swallow-tailed and Mississippi kites in Crosby and Sunday. They were very active until after 10am when most took to sitting and preening. The young are still quiet but the males do a lot of calling when they have food to take to the nest or give to the female. The females also call for food when the males catch flying insects and chase after the males. The birds are often low down especially when feeding http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156041736 http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156041734 The males do the hunting and eat the heads off of squabs they are taking to the nest. Some squabs arrive at the nest headless and others are beheaded before delivery to the nest. The young can eat prey of this size without a parent to pick it apart http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156041732 Flying insects are eaten on the wing http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156041717 Lots of calling http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156041721 Individual birds have problems with wing or tail feathers and can be id'd at a distance http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156041713 When preening, great care is taken with each wing feather http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156041644 The birds are inured to dog walkers, children and most normal neighborhood activity and do not pay much attention to things that would panic most sitting hawks. This can be bad in places where hawks are not appreciated http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156041645 It is very hard to get a good picture of a swallow-tailed kite as a mystery bird. Note that the feathers are fluffier than on many buteos http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156041646 Just a great way to spend the morning with some great birds http://www.pbase.com/joseph_kennedy_36/image/156041643 -- Joseph C. Kennedy on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at //www.freelists.org/list/texbirds Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission from the List Owner
