UPDATE: RESCUED MISSISSIPPI KITE FLEDGLINGS ARE LEARNING TO FLY AND HUNT ON THEIR OWN

August 21, 2024

Although Corpus Christi remained clear of damage from Hurricane Beryl, multiple Mississippi kite fledglings were left abandoned and out of their fallen nests in the Houston area. Of that damage recovery, sixteen overflow birds were transported in early July to Texas State Aquarium’s Port Corpus Christi Center for Wildlife Rescue to begin a road to recovery and independence.

When first administered to the Avian Intensive Care Unit, the kites were tagged with a colored band, weighed, and their feet and wings were checked. They lost the fluffy feathers worn upon arrival and are growing in their juvenile, brownish-grey colors. The Mississippi Kites will undergo a series of tests that will ensure they can fly and catch their own live prey.

Today, they are flying and swooping through the rehabilitation aviary of the Aquarium with ease. With tree branches and perches that mimic their natural habitat, the raptors are adapting well to their new surroundings and hopping between branches, swooping down to collect bites of food that have been set out by the wildlife care team. The team has been monitoring these birds of prey to ensure they are protected from excessive human interaction and prepared for a successful release. If the plan goes as scheduled, these sixteen kites will soar high with their species in the next few months, as Mississippi kites migrate to South America every fall.

Mississippi Kites are hawk-like raptors known for their impressive migratory patterns. Typically seen in large concentrations in Mexico and Texas, these birds winter in South America. They can range from 12-14 inches in length with a wingspan of up to three feet.

(The Aquarium admitted these fledglings as part of their emergency response to large-scale wildlife disasters. Due to avian influenza, the Center for Wildlife Rescue is currently not accepting avian patients.)