EVERGJuADE KITE 77 



wings vigorously. Its flight has been compared to that of the marsh 

 hawk, as it flies low over the marshes while hunting. But it often 

 soars to great heights, gliding along easily and gracefully ; its slender 

 body is easily supported on its broad wings and tail. Bendire 

 (1892) quotes Sclater and Hudson: "When soaring, which is their 

 favorite pastime, the flight is singularly slow, the bird frequently 

 remaining motionless for long intervals in one place, but the ex- 

 panded tail is all the time twisted about in the most singular man- 

 ner, moved from side to side, and turned up, until its edge is nearly 

 at a right angle with tlie plane of the body." 



It is a gentle, harmless species and lives so peacefully with its 

 neighbors that even the small song birds do not seem to fear it at 

 all. It is not particularly shy and sometimes even shows some 

 curiosity; one that we were watching from the Tamiami Trail twice 

 flew out over the road near us, as if to look us over. About its 

 nest it is mildly solicitous, but not bold enough to attack the intruder. 



Voice.—Mr. Nicholson (192G) heard, upon nearing the nest, "a 

 cackling note similar to that of an osprey, but finer in tone and 

 not so loud." Dr. Wetmore (1926) found them rather noisy; they 

 "emitted a rasping chattering call that was audible at no great dis- 

 tance." Bendire (1892) gives it as "a peculiar cry, resembling the 

 shrill neighing of a horse." 



Field^ marks.— The everglade kite can be easily recognized at a 

 great distance by its dark color, its broad rounded wings and square 

 tail, and by its slow flight. When nearer, the white upper and under 

 tail coverts are quite distinctive and the brilliant orange-colored feet 

 and cere are very conspicuous, especially in the male. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range.— Florida, Cuba, eastern Central America, and South 

 America. 



The everglade kite breeds north to nortli western Florida (prob- 

 ably rarely Waukeenah and near Crescent City). East to Florida 

 (near Crescent City, Lake Norris, St. Johns Marsh, probably Micco, 

 Fellsmere Marsh, Loxahatchee Marsh, Lake Hicpochee, Miami, and 

 probably Cuthbert Lake) ; Cuba (Isle of Pines) ; British Guiana 

 (Demerara Kiver, Mahaica River, Abary River); southeastern 

 Brazil (Iguape) ; and Argentina (Buenos Aires, Barracas al Sud, 

 and Cape San Antonio). South to Argentina (Cape San Antonio, 

 Espartilla, Conchitas, and Tucuman ) . West to northwestern Argen- 

 tina (Tucuman and Jujuy) ; Ecuador (Babahoyo) ; Colombia 

 (Remedios, Bonda, and Barranquilla) ; Nicaragua (Los Sabalos and 

 Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua) ; Guatemala (probably Lake 

 Peten) ; Veracruz (Catemaco, Cosamaloapan, and Mirador) ; and 



