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David S. Lee and Mary K. Clark 
summarized by Bent (1937) and Robertson (1988). Skutch (1965) 
reports on nesting activities and feeding habits of the South Ameri- 
can race E. f yetapa. Other than nest biology studies, little recent 
information on this kite has been published, and that which has is 
limited mostly to reported occurrences of individual birds at inter- 
esting sites (i.e., Gross 1958) or dates (Hicks 1955). Millsap (1987) 
provided important information on pre-migration staging in South 
Florida. In this article, we provide information on the post-breeding 
biology of this bird and comment on its relationship to the phenol- 
ogy and conservation status of the species. 
STUDY AREA 
Between 13 and 21 July 1982 we surveyed the St. Johns River 
by houseboat from the outlet of Lake Monroe near Sanford, Semi- 
nole County-, downstream (north) to Black Creek near Orange Park, 
Clay County, Florida. Side excursions into major tributaries were 
made into Lake Dexter, parts of Murphy Creek, Dunns Creek, 
Crescent Lake, and Black Creek. We surveyed 252 km of the St. 
Johns River, its tributaries, and connected lakes, with some areas 
being resurveyed on the return trip. Width of the river varied 
from 100 to 200 m upstream to 6.5 km near Orange Park. Some 
of the lakes in the river were much wider (up to 10 km on Lake 
George). This entire stretch of the river was largely undeveloped 
on one or both banks. 
The St. Johns River is bordered largely by river swamp 
communities, particularly on the west bank, which is lower in el- 
evation than the east bank, and on most of the islands in the river. 
Portions of the east bank that are higher and better drained have 
more upland communities such as mesic hammocks. The swamp 
forests are frequently flooded by a combination of high water, wind, 
and tidal action. Trees dominating the river swamp communities are 
bald cypress ( Taxodium distichum), swamp tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), 
water locust ( Gleditsia aquatica), water ash ( Fraxinus pauciflora), 
red maple (Acer rubrum), water hickory (Carya aquatica), and cab- 
bage palm (Sabal palmetto). A characteristic shrub layer of button- 
bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), willow (Salix longipes), palmetto 
(Sabal minor), and wax myrtle (Myrica leriferus) densely lines the 
river, but is less conspicuous in the swamp interior. 
Inland the swamp forests are typically bordered by a hydric 
hammock community — a transition between the swamp and upland 
communities. Where topographic change is gradual, transition 
zones between habitats are poorly defined. Trees common in this 
community include swampbay (Persta pubescens), water oak 
