Swallow-tailed Kite visits Topeka 2018

This lone swallow-tailed kite was seen on September 4, 2018 near the Governor’s mansion in the city of Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas. Kites are a type of hawk. When flying they rarely flap their wings but instead they catch the wind as they soar through the air. In Kansas we have the common Mississippi kite and two species that are accidental in the state. The white-tailed kite and swallow-tailed kite are both species of the gulf coast that are rarely seen in Kansas. Swallow tailed kites have a white head and body along with a black back and tail. Their V shaped tail is deeply forked. Their black wings and white wing linings along with their large forked tails give them very unique look. Swallow tailed Kites are a very rare bird in Topeka and all of Kansas. The last time one was seen in Shawnee County was in 1972. Statewide, they’ve only been documented in 18 of our 105 counties. Most years go by without a sighting in the state. Insects make up most of their diet. They fly through the air catching aerial insects with their feet. They eat their pray while flying through the air. Swallow-tailed kites breed in 7 states in the southeastern United States. Historically they bred in 21 states and as far north as Minnesota. They last nested in Kansas in the late 1800s. The Swallowtail kites found in the United States all migrate to South America where they spend the winter. Why did this lone swallowtail kite end up in Topeka, so far from its home in the southeastern United States? Leave a comment if you have any ideas. Learn to identify kites and other hawks in North America with: A Field Guide to Hawks of North America Buy it at https://amzn.to/2NgTQMz Learn even more about kites and other hawks of North America with: Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America Buy it at https://amzn.to/2CtfWXU