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Scientific name:
Ictinia mississippiensis |
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Family name:
Accipitridae |
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Are they endangered?
They are not endangered worldwide. (IUCN Red list:
Least concern)
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What are their
past/present problems?
People are taking their land and building houses on it.
(Habitat loss) |
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What do they look
like?
Mississippi Kites have a gray body and dark red eyes.
Their wings are dark gray, white, and brownish red. |
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How big are they?
Mississippi Kites are from 13 – 17 inches long. If
their wings were fully spread out, they would be about
three feet wide.
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How many eggs do they
lay?
The female lays 1 – 3 white eggs once a year. They
hatch in about 30 days. |
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How long do the
fledglings stay in the nest?
The nests are made out of sticks and are usually high up
in trees. The hatchling (baby bird) will stay in the
nest for about a month. |
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When do they hunt?
They hunt during the daytime. (diurnal) |
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What do they eat?
Mississippi Kites like to eat big insects, bats, small mammals,
MICE, and reptiles. |
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Where do they live?
They are found in Canada, the United States, Central America,
and South America. |
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What kind of place do
they like to live in?
They like to live by forests and the edges of bodies of water.
They also like farms, towns, and grasslands. |
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Interesting facts:
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Mississippi Kites migrate. |
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Male and female will take turns sitting on the eggs to
keep them warm. Usually in raptors, the female bird
sits on the eggs mostly. |
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Mississippi Kites like to use
thermals to save
energy while they are flying. |
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They will grab and eat prey while they are flying. |
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