Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2014-013
| Common name: |
Mississippi Kite |
| Scientific name: | Ictinia mississippiensis |
| Date: | May 4, 2014 |
| Time: | 3:50 pm |
| Length of time observed: | 20-25 seconds |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Adult |
| Sex: | undetermined |
| Location: | foothills Just south of Parley's Canyon |
| County: | Salt Lake |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | 5200 ft. |
| Distance to bird: | approximately 200 yards |
| Optical equipment: | Zeiss Victory FL 8x42 binoculars |
| Weather: | Clear, windy |
| Light Conditions: | bright |
| Description: Size of bird: | medium sized compared to most raptors, smaller than Red-tailed Hawk, larger than Sharp-shinned Hawk |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | narrow, pointed wings |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | gray and blackish |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | could not see but assume hooked |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Flight style was fairly direct and very buoyant. The wing beats were deep, easy,
and fluid. The wings were held flat when soaring. The bird was in adult plumage,
showing gray overall, with a pale (whitish) head, blackish tail, whitish
secondaries, and rufous hints to the darker primaries from below. Shape was slim
overall, with somewhat long, slim, sharply tapered wings, small head, and medium
length tail the flared outward at the tip. (see drawing) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | |
| Behavior: | soaring, flapping, gliding |
| Habitat: | in flight above open grassy hillside |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
The most similar in structure and plumage to an adult Mississippi Kite is an adult Peregrine Falcon, but Mississippi Kite shows a slim build, slim head, and a long narrow-based tail that flares at the tip. Unlike Peregrine Falcon, adult Mississippi Kite has a pale head, and a grayish underside from below with blackish primaries and tail. Adult Peregrine Falcon has a black head, checkered underwings, and a finely barred with blackish belly. An adult Mississippi Kite can possibly be confused for adult male Northern Harrier, but Mississippi Kite is more lightly built with narrower wings, stiffer (gull-like but more fluid) and a shorter tail with a flared tip. They also lack a prominent dihedral and do not teeter from side to side in flight like Harrier. Adult male Northern Harrier is grayish on top, but brilliant white below with black-tipped outer primaries and secondaries, very unlike an adult Mississippi Kite. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Extensive experience with all North American raptors. Author of 3 books and numerous published articles on identification of North American raptors. Have studied Mississippi Kites since the late 1980's and have made several trips in the past few years to study and photograph Mississippi Kites exclusively. |
| References consulted: | None |
| Description from: | From memory |
| Observer: | Jerry Liguori |
| Observer's address: | |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | |
| Date prepared: | May 6, 2014 |
| Additional material: | Drawing |
| Additional_Comments: |