BIRDS OF PREY 183 



suggestive of the ordinary falcon. The swallow-tailed kite 

 was formerly found as far west as the great plains and 

 northward to southern Canada. They winter in Central and 

 South America. Always of local distribution, their range is 

 becoming even more restricted. 



The food of this hawk consists largely of insects, hence 

 it is beneficial; it also eats small reptiles. It captures its 

 food, devours it, and drinks while on the wing. Kites 

 migrate in flocks. In the last twenty years several migrat- 

 ing flocks have passed through the Great Lakes region near 

 Chicago in spring and fall. This would indicate that the 

 birds were either on an extensive hunting expedition or 

 resorted to some remote section of the country to breed. 

 However, little material is available regarding their habits, 

 aside from that furnished by Florida and Texas ornitholo- 

 gists. 



During the last fifteen years these birds have been found 

 breeding in Texas and the isolated pine regions of Florida, 

 being about the only sections still inhabited with any cer- 

 tainty by this fleet-winged raptor. In Florida the nests are 

 placed in the tops of the tallest cylindrical pines, usually in 

 wet portions of the state where the nests are accessible only 

 during dry seasons. In several scientific expeditions under- 

 taken to procure the nest and eggs of this species it was 

 found necessary to kill the male kite before ascending the 

 tree to the nest, as the bird bolflly darted at the head of the 

 collector, dislodging his headpiece and striking him with its 

 talons until several deep wounds were inflicted. 



The nests are constructed of stems, sticks, and a little 

 bark. Two or three eggs are deposited in April or jMay. 



