1971/12/01 by Jean P. Ehrhardt
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Art #Avian ecology and behavior #Census #Demography #Geography #History #Humanities #Library science #Marine and coastal plant biology #Polar Research and Ecology #Sociology
paper · doi:10.2307/1366675
openalex publication_date 1971/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The Mississippi Kite (Ictitia misisippiensis) is generally considered a bird of south-central and southeastern United States, breeding from Kansas and South Carolina south to Texas and Florida (AOU, Check-list of North American birds.Fifth ed.AOU, Baltimore.1957, p. 101) .In recent years it has been found breeding in southeastern New Mexico (J.P. Hubbard, Check-list of the birds of New Mexico, New Mexico Ornithol.Society Publ.No. 3, 1970).It was, therefore, quite a surprise when my brother John and I found four individuals of this species on 7 June 1970 about 5 mi.S of Winkehnan in Final County, Arizona, along the lower San Pedro River.The sight of these kites feeding on the wing among the giant cactus (Carnegiea gigunteu) and other desert vegetation was unusual indeed.We returned to this area on 9 June 1970 and found one pair in flight, feeding over the desert.Another pair was sighted in flight directly over the town of Hayden, Gila County, Arizona, about 2 mi.NW of Winkelman.On 15 June 1970, we returned to this area and counted at least eight Mississippi Kites along the San Pedro River downstream from the mouth of Aravaipa Creek to the Gila River.One of them was bar-tailed, indicating that it had been raised in 1969.An adult female was collected and is deposited in the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D. C.She had sliehtlv enlarged ovaries and what aupeared to be the beginning of a brood patch._ On our next visit to the area, 24 July 1970, my brother and I located a kite nest.An adult was shading a downy chick, approximately three weeks