The Arrival of Swallow-tailed Kites in South-Central Florida

If you’ve been in south-central Florida in the past two weeks, you’ve probably noticed the arrival of Swallow-tailed Kites.

Swallow-tailed Kites (Elanoides forficatus) are probably the most appropriately named raptor, with their forked swallow-like tail.  They have an unmistakable black and white plumage from below, and show dark shoulder patches and primaries from above.  In flight, their small head can give them a "pigeon-headed" appearance.

Note striking white head and belly, and dark primaries and secondaries

Note dark shoulder patches and dark primaries when viewed from above

Note pigeon-headed appearance

Swallow-tailed Kites are found in forested wetlands in tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America, and also on the south east and Gulf Coasts. They used to be found as far north as Minnesota, but their range has decreased with habitat destruction. Members of this species that breed in the United States spend the winter in South America, and can be seen in large groups in southern Florida starting in late February each year like clock work. 

The first one I saw this season was north of Indiantown on March 1, and I’ve seen more almost every day since in Glades, Highlands, and Hendry counties. Usually, when you see one, you start noticing more and more in the air nearby; one day, I had three in my scope at once! My biggest group so far this year has been six, but last year around this time, Alex and I saw 14 glide over us in a straight line while driving through Orlando. In one day, I saw 9 in Hendry County in various locations, then 5 together in Highlands County. Some seem to be settling on to territories, and I’ve seen one more than a few times at the Route 70/27 intersection in Lake Placid. On Route 98, I saw two carrying nesting material.

Two Swallow-tailed Kites in aerial displays

If you’re lucky, you can stop your car fast enough to snap a few photos, but photos just don’t do this bird justice. They seem to put very little effort into flying, and take advantage of thermals and unseen air currents to help them drift along over treelines and rivers. Most of their time is spent soaring, using their long forked tail as a rudder, interspersed with steep dives and loops aimed at other nearby kites. They catch and eat prey on the wing, eating mostly flying insects, but sometimes take reptiles, amphibians, and small birds.

Hunting insects on the wing



Eating insects on the wing

Report your Swallow-tailed Kite sightings on E-bird, and The Center for Birds of Prey in South Carolina, where Swallow-tailed Kites are listed as endangered. 

This post can also be viewed at Nemesis Bird.  It was also linked at the ABA Blog through Nemesis Bird!

Limpkin: A Unique Florida Specialty

There aren’t many species of birds that you can find only in Florida. Most of Florida’s herons and egrets can be found up the East and Gulf coasts, and many of Florida’s passerines and raptors migrate north in the spring. On the small list of Florida specialities is the Limpkin. Limpkins are only found in Florida’s fresh water marshes (with sporadic records in the south eastern United States). Limpkin used to be commonly found in south eastern Georgia. Limpkin are also found in Central and South America.

Limpkins (Aramus guarauna) are the only member of the family Aramidae (genus Aramus), and are closely related to Rallidae (rails, coots, and moorhens) and Gruidae (cranes). These three families make up the order Gruiiformes. There are fossil records of extinct species of birds that may have also been members of this family.

Limpkins look most like small cranes in appearance. The back of a Limpkin appears spotted, and is reminiscent of a European Starlings speckled plumage. Its downward curved bill can be mistaken for that of an Ibis. Males and females look alike. It is hard to miss a Limpkin, with their loud wailing calls to each other, giving any wetland where they are found a very tropical and exotic feeling.

Limpkins eat mainly apple snails and other mollusks, but will also eat frogs, lizards, or insects in times of drought. Their range in Florida is almost entirely associated with that of apple snails, which isn’t surprising, because their long bill is specialized in removing snails from their shells (usually without breaking the shell!).  There are five species of apple snails in Florida, but only one is native, and Florida is the only place in the world where the native Florida apple snail occurs.  They can live to be two years old and can grow to the size of a plum!  Apple snails face conservation issues of their own that in turn affect the species that depend on them, like Limpkins and Snail Kites.  Apple snails have been greatly and negatively affected by poor water management practices in Florida associated with agriculture and development that have changed natural flows and depths of water.

A good place to find Limpkins in South Central Florida is Lake Okeechobee (the second largest lake in North America). I haven’t had time to fully explore the edges of the lake, but the north eastern marshy edge is teaming with Limpkins. It is hard to go a few minutes without hearing a Limpkin call echo over the lake, with a quick answer from another. While they are usually quite secretive, I’ve seen Limpkin out foraging in open water at the lakes edge, and they frequently fly low in view over the marsh grasses here. Another great place to see Limpkins in at Orlando Wetlands Park. Otherwise, you can find them along the edges of Florida’s numerous channels and canals, foraging on floating vegetation and in reed beds. They are (fortunately or unfortunately?) easily habituated to people, and can also be found in the ponds and wetlands of Florida’s ridiculously excessive housing developments.

Earlier this year in January at Lake Okeechobee, Alex and I saw a Limpkin take flight at the same time as an American Bittern! With luck like that, I figured I’d make this year another big year (I missed American Bittern on last year’s list).

I took the following photos at Lake Okeechobee about a month ago! 

Limpkin attacking a Purple Gallinule at Lake Okeechobee, FL

Limpkin foraging at Lake Okeechobee, FL

Limpkin walking along a canal in Highlands County, FL (photo by Alex Lamoreaux)

Vortex Optics: Great Products backed by a Great Warranty

Recently, my Vortex Skyline 80 scope had an accident.  It was a mortal accident, rendering the scope unusable (it may have been in two pieces....).  I was mortified, but remembered that Vortex has a "VIP Warranty" which means Vortex will fix or replace your product at no cost.  I packaged my scopes remains up in a box, sent it to Wisconsin, and in less than 10 days, my scope was delivered back in one piece with a new body and fixed lens.  I was glad they were able to repair it.  While I've only had my scope for about 2.5 years, I've grown very attached to it, and I've seen some extraordinary species through it. 

Spotting scopes are very, very expensive.  But Vortex scopes are reasonably priced, and quality is not compromised.  I've done side-by-side comparisons with more expensive scopes, and I have found no difference in quality.  With such great products and such a great warranty, its hard to buy anything else! (no, Vortex Optics has not paid me to say this). 

Thanks Vortex!

To buy Vortex optics, Vortex Optics: Where to Buy...these products fit the budget of an underpaid Field Tech!

(I've seen thousands of raptors through my scope)

White-tailed Kites in Florida

One of the most dramatic raptors found in Florida is the White-tailed Kite, Elanus leucaris. It is rare and found locally in south central/south eastern Florida. It is also commonly found from south Texas to California, and is rare along the Gulf Coast and to the north. Recently, its range has been expanding northward and along the Gulf Coast, although it is a non migratory species. From below, adults appear white in flight, with dark carpal patches and dark primaries, and show a long white tail that is slightly notched. From above, adults appear pale gray with a white head, have long pointed and relatively narrow wings, and show a black patch on the leading edge of the wings (which appear as black shoulders on perched individuals). Juveniles are similar to adults, but show rusty brown streaking on the upper breast, brown on the back, and a narrow band on the basal end of the tail. Adults have bright red oval-shaped eyes, while juveniles have yellowish eyes. In general, White-tailed Kites are one of our smaller raptors, about the size of a Mississippi Kite (or Broad-winged Hawk).Where they are common, they can gather in large roosts. 

(All of the following photos are of adults.)

Note dark primaries from below

Note dark carpal patches

In North America, there are 5 different species of kites, each belonging to a different genus. The White-tailed Kite belong to the Genus Elanus (Elanus is Latin for “kite” while leucarus is Latin for “white-tailed”). This species has pointed-wings (similar to Mississippi Kites and Swallow-tailed Kites) as opposed to paddled-wings (like that of Hook-billed Kite and Snail Kite). New world kites are referred to as “kites” for their similarities to Old World kites of the genus Milvus. Apparently toy kites were named “kites” because of their similarities to the kites of the genus Milvus.
White-tailed Kites prefer open fields of scattered bushes, scrub, and marshes, where they can find rodents, which make up the majority of their diet.
In hunting flight, kites have a very distinct behavior. At first glance, they appear more gull-like or kestrel-like, hovering over land with wings held in a strong dihedral, exaggerated by pointed wings. They seem to work the land similar to harriers, hovering along in rows, but at a slightly higher altitude. When prey is spotted from a hovering position, kites make a steep dive towards the earth. In general their flight appears very light and graceful, and to say they look like a large white butterfly is not a stretch! White-tailed Kites also perform elaborate aerial courtship displays.

White-tailed Kite hovering nearby

White-tailed Kite in steep dive towards earth; note strong dihedral

In January at one of our project sites, I observed a pair of adult White-tailed Kites in an area known to have a breeding pair of Crested Caracara. While we didn’t end up seeing any Caracara that day, an adult kite flew in from the south, and proceeded to hunt the tall overgrown grasslands south of our truck (soon to be converted to an STA, or Storm Water Treatment Area). It flew directly over our truck and landed in a snag less than 50 meters away! I had seen White-tailed Kites before in New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Mexico last summer, but this was by far the closest I had ever seen a White-tailed Kite! After a few minutes it continued its hunt northwards into an overgrown cattle pasture, and landed on a snag where another adult White-tailed Kite apparently flew in and perched while we were observing the first! A few weeks earlier a pair had been reported on this land (Allapatah Flats Wildlife Management Area), and I assume it is the same pair. We have since seen Crested Caracara perched in the same snag that the kites perched in, and both raptors are likely or will be breeders in the area.

White-tailed Kite perched on snag

White-tailed Kite in flight

a pair of White-tailed Kites

Sources:
Hawks of North America. W.S. Clark and B.K. Wheeler. 2001 (Second Edition)
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. D.A. Sibley. 2008.
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America. R.T. Peterson. 2009

Spring and Summer 2011 Job Update

Two weeks ago, Alex and I got word that we both will be working for Idaho Bird Observatory this spring and summer on a Long-billed Curlew study in Idaho. While working for IBO, we will also have opportunities to help on Golden Eagle, Northern Goshawk, and Flammulated Owl Projects. We will start work in early April.

Long-billed Curlew in Ventura County, CA July 2010

To better oraganize my blog, I have decided to start writing species specific blogs about birds I’ve come across in my travels, while I occasionally continue to post blogs about birding trips. While I am in Florida until mid-March, I will be focusing on species that migrate through and winter in Florida, and other “Florida Specialties” that are typically found only in Florida.



Sparrow Drive at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park: January 29th, 2011

On my day off last week, I attended a “sparrow” drive at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. This event was organized by the park biologist, Paul Miller. Birders and biologists from all over the region joined in, and Sam, Melanie, and Charles, who just started work on Scrub Jays at the bird lab at Archbold Biological Station, working for Shane Pruitt, were able to tag along.
A sparrow drive is exactly what it sounds like. A long line of mist nets are set up, acting as a wall that sparrows cannot fly through. After the nets are set up, a line of volunteers walks out into the prairie (or salt marsh, as Alex and I did with Fletcher Smith last summer in Virginia), around the target area to be flushed. Two volunteers each take an end of a rope; sometimes the rope can have plastic jugs or cans on it, to make more noise as it drags (this method is also used to flush rails and sometimes ducks). For this sparrow drive, we had more people than rope, so we formed a kind of arc around the target area. While the two people at the end of the rope walked forward, the large line of volunteers walked behind the dragging rope, making lots of noise (clapping and yelling), flushing any bird in front of the rope towards the net. On this sparrow drive, we had so few sparrows that when one flushed, we were able to target the area it flew in to, and make sure it flushed and didn’t let the rope pass over it. We were targeting Bachman’s, Henslow’s, and Grasshopper Sparrows, which can all be very secretive, and would usually rather run and hide in the grass, or take short low flights, instead of flushing long distances. When the line of people and rope reached the nets, the birds had nowhere else to go but into the mist nets where they were trapped. In total, we caught 3 Bachman’s Sparrows (Aimophila aestivalis), 1 Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savvanrum), in addition to 1 Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna). Even though 4 sparrows doesn’t seem like a lot, at this time of year, it would be hard to see these two species otherwise.

Paul's team setting up the mist nets

line of volunteers behind rope getting ready to move forward and flush sparrows towards net

the invisible mist net

Moving the net array to a new area

When a sparrow hits the net, it drops down into a "pocket" where it is safe until removal.

Removing small passerines from nets can be very challenging!

Removing large birds from mist nets is typically easier, but can still be challenging.

Bachman’s Sparrow is found year-round in Florida and the Gulf Coast states to Louisiana and Texas, and as far north as North Carolina. Its summer range extends slightly north into Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky, but it is declining, especially in the northern part of its range. In the south it prefers pine woods with a palmetto scrub, but it is also found in habitats of only palmetto, like the habitat at the Kissimmee Prairie, where trees are very sparse. In flight, it shows a longer tail than other sparrows of its size. Its breast is fairly plain, buffy on top but mostly white on its belly, and streaking on its head, back and wings is reddish brown and gray. It shows a rufous crown and rufous eye stripe.  We caught 3 Bachman's Sparrows in total.

Paul weighing the first Bachman's Sparrow

Bachman's Sparrow (note rufous crown and rufous eye stripe)

Bachman's Sparrow (note rufous crown and rufous eye stripe)

Paul checking the fat score of Bachman's Sparrow. The first one caught had a low fat score.

Bachman's Sparrow

Bachman's Sparrow

Bachman's Sparrow

Measuring culmen

Measuring tail

Bachman's Sparrow

Close-up of Bachman's Sparrow wing

Bachman's Sparrow

Banding a Bachman's Sparrow

Bachman's Sparrow

There are four subspecies of Grasshopper Sparrows in North America, three of which are listed as species of concern. The Florida subspecies, floridanus, is listed as endangered and is nonmigratory. Like most species with this label, it suffers from habitat destruction and must deal with the problems associated with having only a few remaining disjunct populations. The Kissimme Prairie is one of its last strongholds. In summer in the east, one can find the eastern subspecies, pratensis.  In the west, two other subspecies in occur, including perpallidus (found across much of the west and mid-west) and ammolegus (found only in south east Arizona, south west New Mexico, and northern Mexico). They can be found in grasslands, hayfields, or prairies in the summer throughout North America.  The eastern subspecies winters in the south and south east (Gulf Coast, including the Kissimme Prairie and other areas of Florida). The Grasshopper Sparrow is one of our smallest sparrows, and has a short tail distinctive in flight. It has a distinctive eye ring and yellow lores, with a buffy breast and red, gray, and black streaks on its back and wings. It has a white median crown stripe, and the color of this is variable in the different subspecies. It has an overall “cute” appearance with a large head and small body. In Florida, Grasshopper Sparrows have very specific habitat requirements (dry prairie with low shrubs/grass and saw palmetto) and depend on specific land management practices, such as prescribed burning (ideally natural fires would create this habitat). At the Kissimme Prairie, it has been observed that about 2.5 years after a prairie has been burned, Grasshopper Sparrows leave in search of a younger, more suitable prairie.

top view of Grasshopper Sparrow (pratensis subspecies)

Measuring exposed culmen of Grasshopper Sparrow

Grasshopper Sparrow: note complete eye ring and median crown stripe

back view of Grasshopper Sparrow

A Grasshopper Sparrow that Alex and I found on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, May 2010

A Grasshopper Sparrow that I found in central Kansas in 2009

Eastern Meadowlarks are found year-round in most of the south, mid-west, and east, and expand northward into the northeast and northern mid-west in the summer. They are a fairly common species in open grasslands, but in general are declining, along with most other grassland bird species. They eat mainly seeds and insects, but there was a record a few years ago of a Meadowlark attacking and eating a mouse! (insert link). They can be distinguished from Western Meadowlarks by song (although Eastern Meadowlarks have variable songs), and by the amount of white on the outer rectrices (Eastern Meadowlarks have more extensive white on their outer tail feathers than Weatern Meadowlarks). Our Meadowlark appeared to be female (larger than male) and seemed to be molting into its brighter more contrasting breeding plumage.

female Eastern Meadowlark

Measuring Culmen of Eastern Meadowlark

Very worn tail of Eastern Meadowlark, will be molted last. Eastern Meadowlarks show thicker black barring on all feathers, most noticeable in tail feathers. Western Meadowlarks show thinner black barring (see this link for more difference between the two species).

Eastern Meadowlark in molt

Paul holding Eastern Meadowlark

Grassland sparrow habitat is becoming more and more scarce throughout most of the United States, so it is extremely important to monitor populations through banding and long term population studies. Sparrow drives are currently being done all over Florida in the next two months before breeding season begins. To find a sparrow drive in Florida, keep an eye on the Florida Birds Listserv, or email me at annafasoli@gmail.com to get in contact with Paul Miller about an upcoming sparrow drive at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. Thanks to Paul Miller for organizing this event and inviting the public to see these rare species!

Kissimmee Prairie State Park represents a refuge and retreat for many of Florida’s rare and endangered species. It is home to a few breeding pairs of Crested Caracara (two pairs of which were nest building last weekend), a very diverse array of butterflies, insects and arthropods, and unique dry prairie plant species. It is also the last known nesting area for the now extinct Carolina Parakeet.

adult Crested Caracara carrying nesting material

This blog can also be viewed at Nemesis Bird, a website run by Drew Weber (currently a grad student at Penn State), who I worked with on Scott Weidensaul’s Northern Saw-whet Owl Radio-telemetry Project in 2009. Alex Lamoreaux also contributes to Drew’s website, and is currently contributing blogs from South Africa.