The raptor nursery at the Wildlife Center of Texas has a new baby raptor species for the 2012 year. Two nestling Mississippi Kites have arrived within a week of each other. The first baby was brought to the Center after falling 50 feet from its nest injuring its head. The wounds have healed and it is doing much better. The second baby was brought to the Wildlife Center this weekend. It is assumed that the area storms this past week blew the baby out of its nest.
The nest site could not be located. Mississippi Kites can be seen in flight veering deliberately about looking for flying insects such as cicadas, dragonflies, beetles and grasshoppers. They can be seen catching insects in the air with their feet, reaching down to pick pieces with their bill while they are in flight. Wildlife Center staff and volunteers are thrilled to hear the kites high pitched double whistle, phee-phew, as it begs for food.
All baby kites brought to the Wildlife Center will go through a progression of cages until they are finally released back into the wild. Please check out the following article about kites from an older posting on our website. https://wildlifecenteroftexas.org/2010/07/lets-go-fly-a-kite/
Leave A Comment