Mississippi kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
Identification Tips:
- Sexes similar
- Medium-sized, graceful, long-winged hawk
- Pointed wings
- Long, squared-off tail
- Short, dark, hooked beak
- Outermost primary about half the length of the longest primary
Adult:
- Pale gray head with dark mask at lores
- Gray breast, belly, underwing and undertail coverts
- Dark gray back, upperwing coverts, primaries, and uppertail coverts
- Pale silvery-gray secondaries visible from above
- Blackish flight feathers visible from below
- Black tail
Immature:
- Streaked, brownish head with pale superciliary line
- Dark brownish back and upperwing
- Breast, belly, and underwing coverts streaked heavily with rich brown
- Dark tail has distinct white bands
Subadult:
- Head and breast like adult, occasionally with remnants of brown
- Underwing coverts streaked heavily with rich brown
- Dark tail has distinct white bands
Similar species:
Black-shouldered Kite is similar in size and shape but is whitish about the
breast and has a white tail. Kites are somewhat similar in shape to falcons
but note the different head patterns. At a distance, Norther Harrier can
look similar but its underwings are paler and broader and it has a white
rump.