Photo: Rescuechick / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) — Birds of Prey of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in North America. Adults weigh 276 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Ictinia
- Species mississippiensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 276 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Mississippi Kite is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Mississippi Kite is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA sc, se USA.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 276 g, with a wing length of about 29.2 cm and a tail of around 15 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 825,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Mississippi Kite?
The Mississippi Kite is a large bird that weighs around 276 g.
Where does the Mississippi Kite live?
The Mississippi Kite is found across North America with a range covering NA sc, se USA, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Mississippi Kite belong to?
The Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Mississippi Kite eat?
The Mississippi Kite is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Mississippi Kite migrate?
The Mississippi Kite is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Mississippi Kite endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Mississippi Kite make?
1 real field recording of the Mississippi Kite — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Mississippi Kite's range?
The Mississippi Kite has a mapped global range of about 825,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.