Kite ID Flashcards
1
Q
What are the FIVE species of kites found in North America?
A
- Mississippi Kite
- Swallow-tailed Kite
- White-tailed Kite
- Hook-billed Kite
- Snail Kite
Seeing as though we are counting all of the kite species in North America, we’ve include the Hook-billed and Snail Kite here. However, when talking about the kite subgroup, we omit the latter two species because they are built very differently to the typical kite species. Instead, they get their own subgroup—”The Misfits”—which we’ll touch on later in this deck.
1
Q
What are the FIVE key SHAPE characteristics of the kite subgroup?
A
- Medium-sized raptors
- Long, slender and pointed wings for gliding (very falcon-like)
- Wings are often bent in the middle
- Not much “fingering” at wing tips
- Relatively long tails
Kites are built quite similarly to falcons but their overall shape is more elongated and graceful in appearance.
2
Q
What diagnostic dark marking do White-tailed Kites have that can help you swiftly determine their identity?
A
Dark C-shaped carpal marks.
