Mississippi Kites return to Vance for annual nesting

  • Published
  • By Jessica Gibson
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Oklahoma has its seasons -- blizzard season, tornado season, I-can't-believe-it's-over-110-degrees-again season, and from early May through late July, Mississippi Kite season.

Each year starting in spring, the small raptors known as Mississippi Kites migrate from their tropical South American vacation spots up north to the Great Plains. Western Oklahoma is right in the middle of one of their most densely populated nesting grounds.

Mississippi Kites usually nest in prairie areas with sparsely placed woods, preferably near a farm or small suburban community. This makes Enid and Vance AFB ideal spots for nesting.

Identified by their blue-gray plumage, Mississippi Kites are small but very aggressive, especially during mating season. The female lays two eggs and shares incubation with the male. The chicks hatch after 30 to 32 days, and are ready to leave the nest after another 30 to 34 days. The parents are most aggressive once the chicks have hatched and before they leave the nest.

Mississippi Kites usually nest in the highest branches of a tree, well out of reach of predators. However, this does not diminish their keen protective instincts. Merely approaching an area with a nest can incite aggressive behavior, though in general, such behavior is limited to diving at the trespasser's head.

The best precaution against an attack is simply to stay away from kite-inhabited areas. Vance AFB has 11 clearly marked locations with inhabited nests.

When diving, Mississippi Kites will aim for the highest object near their target. Carrying an umbrella or holding a large stick above your head can help distract the birds and avoid a collision. Fortunately, birds that are used to being near humans are less likely to attack, since they are less likely to identify humans as predators.

Despite precautions, there have been cases when a bird has attacked and harmed passerbys. Mark Buthman, the environmental coordinator with the CSC Applied Technologies Civil Engineering Department at Vance AFB, tells a humorous story about his first encounter with a Mississippi Kite.

"I received this plaque as a joke," he recalls, showing off a certificate titled "The Purple Beak Award." The certificate identifies Mr. Buthman as the first person "to be beaked on the noggin" by a Mississippi Kite. He received a minor head wound from the encounter, but laughs as he tells the story. "I'd never seen that kind of bird before, and I thought, well, it's just another ordinary bird. I was wrong!"

Occasionally, birds living on Vance AFB have become a threat, and in the past it has been necessary to move their nests. The most recent example was in July 2008, when a nest near the Youth Center, Bldg. 323, was removed due to frequent attacks by a mother kite with one new hatchling.

Julie Miller, a state and federally licensed wildlife rehabilitation expert, and her son, Spencer, removed the nest, and raised the baby kite at Ms. Miller's rehabilitation center northeast of Enid in Breckinridge. Once old enough to survive on its own, Ms. Miller released it back into the wild.

Despite their aggressive tendencies, Mississippi Kites are beautiful and fascinating birds. By respecting their territory and taking proper precautions, the Vance community can enjoy watching these birds as a part of Oklahoma's diverse wildlife.

(Editor's note: The works of James Parker, Ph.D., a leading authority on the Mississippi Kite, were consulted in the research for this article.)