Since moving to Columbia, Missouri, 27 years ago, I have noticed that the summer population of Mississippi kites has greatly increased. Occasionally observed in the past, especially on calm, balmy evenings, they have become a constant presence near our house (just a block from the University of Missouri campus).
Indeed, their whistling calls are one of the more common avian sounds in this area; as I write this post at midday, a trio of the kites are circling overhead. Though they feed primarily on flying insects, their agility allows them to snare a wide variety of prey from the treetops or even from the ground; songbirds, frogs and snakes are among their victims.
As summer retreats southward, so also do the kites; most will winter in South America. While many bird species are threatened by habitat destruction and climate change, these raptors seem to be thriving.
