Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis)

Identification & Behavior: ~36.5 cm (14.3 in). The Mississippi Kite is distinguished from the very similar Plumbeous Kite by having the trailing half of the secondary wing feathers white. It has rufous in the primary flight feathers, but not to the extent of the rufous in the wings of the Plumbeous Kite. The underside of the secondary wing feathers is gray, hence the birds shows gray wigs when seen from below. Also, the feet are yellow and the tail is uniformly gray.  Juvenile birds are heavily streaked with brown or rusty and have white tail bands.

Status: The Mississippi Kite is known in Peru from sight records in Madre de Dios. This kite is thought to occur in Peru only as a transient Boreal migrant on their way to their wintering grounds.  Their status in Peru is still poorly understood. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Elanio de Mississippi.

Sub-species: Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis), A. Wilson 1811.

Meaning of Name: Ictinia: Gr. Iktinos= hawk, falcon. mississippiensis: Concerning the Mississippi River United States of America.

See more of the Family Accipitridae