A HOW-TO GUIDE FOR
VOLUNTEER MONITORING
OF SWALLOW-TAILED KITES
6th Annual Audubon SC
STKI Boat Survey
April 5-15, 2012
Contact: mmusselman@audubon.org
Why Do We Need Your Help?
• There are only 10,000 STKI with 2500 breeding pairs in the
United States, making it one of the rarest birds in the
country.
• Little is know about SC’s Kites or the location of their
nesting sites.
• Locating these sites will help conservation groups protect
the species and its critical habitat, protecting many other
species at the same time.
• Volunteers are critical to monitoring these far-traveled birds.
Equipment You Will Need
• A watercraft (motorized boat, canoe or kayak)
• Binoculars
• GPS Unit (for more accurate locations) or some
physical landmarks to identify area
• Report your findings to
www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org
You Will Need to Register
• Contact mmusselman@audubon.org or call Mark
Musselman at (843) 462-2150 to register.
• Registering will prevent duplicate efforts by
volunteers and ensure that all of the search areas
are covered.
What’s Required of Volunteers
• You must be on your assigned stretch of the river at
approximately 10:00 AM and finished by 2:00 PM..(or
as close as possible.)
• Each sighting should have a GPS coordinate or
some other way to identify the location.
• Please report your sightings and volunteer hours to
www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org within 48 hrs. of
your excursion.
• If you are paddling, you must arrange for your own
pickup and return to your launch location. Audubon
will assist volunteers in coordinating with each other
for pickup and drop-off.
Project Area
• Edisto River (From Givhans State Park to Willtown)
• Black Mingo Creek/Black River
• Lower Santee River (Below the Lakes to the coast)
including Wambaw Creek
• Lower Savannah River
• Waccamaw River
• Sections of Great and Little Pee Dee Rivers/Bull Cr.
Identifying the Swallow-tailed Kite
• The STKI is perhaps the most easily identifiable bird
in South Carolina.
• It is unmistakable – which allows people of all birding
skill levels to be a monitoring volunteer.
Black tail and flight feathers
White head, belly, underwing
and undertail coverts
Body Length 2’ (Approx. 21 inches)
4’ Wingspan (Approx. 50 inches)
Deeply Forked Tail
Photo By: William Hull –
www.mangoverde.com
The Important Things to Note
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How many birds did you see?
Location? (GPS Coordinates are best!)
Time of day?
Type of Behavior?
The following slides demonstrate some common
behaviors:
Soaring and Flapping
Soaring is the most common behavior for a Kite. The bird will use its tail to
steer and will move it frequently. Flapping, as in flapping wings, is an
important behavior to note. It means the Kite is heading somewhere with a
purpose. Try to observe a flapping Kite for as long as possible.
Carrying Nest Material
A Kite with nest building material will usually be flying with a purpose (flapping)
towards the nest. Follow the Kite’s flight path and see if you can note where it
lands. The material is usually cypress twigs and/or Spanish Moss.
Midair Feeding
Kites will eat “on the wing” as pictured above, usually insects. However during
nesting season a mated pair will carry food items (snakes, lizards, chicks) back to the
nest. If you spot a Kite carrying food and flying with a purpose, note the direction the
Kite is traveling and observe as long as possible.
The Third Bird Phenomenon
• An “extra” Kite often associates with a
mated pair of Kites. Look for multiple birds
when a sighting is made. There may even
be more than three.
• The “third bird” is usually a young male
around 1 year of age.
• It is important to always note how many
birds you observe. More than two birds
could be an indicator of a nesting pair.
The Nesting Site
• Kites will reuse nests and nesting areas from year to
year
• On the survey you may be fortunate enough to
actually spot a nest. Record all of the information
you can!
• Remember our ultimate goal in not only to learn
about Kites but to help protect their habitat.
Nesting Tree Clues
• The nest tree will probably be taller than other trees
surrounding it.
• It could be, among others, a Loblolly Pine or Bald
Cypress.
• It is usually very straight with an open canopy (for easy
access by the Kites).
• The nest will be located along the main trunk of the tree
near the top.
• Record a GPS coordinate of the tree if you can or
establish a heading from your location on the river.
OBSERVING THE ACTUAL NEST
The nest is composed of twigs covered in
mosses, usually Spanish Moss and
Grandfather’s Beard. Look for the “clump”
of the lighter colored nest among the darker
vegetation of the tree.
What if I See a Kite After the Survey?
• Kite monitoring never stops! If you see one after the
six-day survey, report it!
• Report all sightings (and behaviors) to
www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org .
• If you do not have GPS coordinates, use road
crossings, bridges or other landmarks.
• Tell you friends and family about the SC Swallowtailed Kite monitoring effort!
THANK YOU!
• The SC Swallow-tailed Kite Working Group includes: