Arnoldsville resident Diana Vandecar recently found four Mississippi kites in a nearby tree in her neighborhood.
The raptors are often mistaken for bald eagles due to their white/gray heads and propensity to soar through the sky.
This group of kites is taking up residence in Oglethorpe County before they head south for the fall and winter.
“Kites, in particular, are especially elegant flyers,” said Bob Sargent, program manager and wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. “This time of the year, we’ve got Mississippi kites nesting over large parts of the state.”
Vandecar said the birds are most active in the mornings and evenings, and that she’s seen them tussle with a buzzard and crows.
The birds often fly over fields and typically eat flying insects and small invertebrates like lizards and frogs. Kites are neotropical birds, and after nesting in the southern prairies, they head to Central and South America for the winter.
Kites make for excellent bird-watching subjects because they are known for dramatically dive bombing and eating prey or fighting off competing predators mid-air.
For anyone looking to learn more about birds and birding in the region, Sargent suggests getting involved with the Georgia Audubon, the Georgia Ornithological Society or attending Georgia DNR wildlife education events.
Alex Perri is a master’s student in journalism at the University of Georgia. She previously worked at the Transylvania Times in Brevard, North Carolina.