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Roger Simmons
Roger Simmons

Birds, Words, Pics + TV

Swallow-tailed kites: Eating in the air and on the go

Roger Simmons, June 24, 2024July 8, 2024

I love seeing Swallow-tailed Kites in the skies above Central Florida in the summer. On Saturday I spotted three circling in the sky near Lake Apopka, so I had to pull over on the side of the road and take some pictures.

These striking black-and-white raptors fly north (yes, north) to Florida in the spring and summer to breed before returning home to South America. To paraphrase an old Delta Airlines commercial, these birds love to fly and it shows.

They spend almost all of their time in the air. That includes traveling between North and South America but also catching prey and eating that prey while still flying.

That’s what I saw on Saturday. I noticed one was clutching something in one of its claws. After I got home and started editing the pictures, I saw the bird bring what appears to be some sort of insect up to its mouth and then eat it – all while still circling above. Talk about eating on the go!

Swallow-tailed Kite, near Lake Apopka, June 2024. This ones has its claw out hoping to grab a bug or insect in the air.
Swallow-tailed Kite, near Lake Apopka, June 2024. This one has caught something in its left claw.
Swallow-tailed Kite, near Lake Apopka, June 2024. Time to much on its aerial snack.
Swallow-tailed Kite, near Lake Apopka, June 2024. It must be hard to fly and eat at the same time.
Swallow-tailed Kite, near Lake Apopka, June 2024. You can see little legs as the bird swallows its snack.
Swallow-tailed Kite, near Lake Apopka, June 2024.

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