Species on the Move

Amended 14 April 2013 – Upper Midwest and Northeast – Swallow-tailed Kite Alert: 8 April 2013

Andrew Farnsworth The Cornell Lab Apr 08, 2013

With warm air prevailing across the region, sky watchers should plan to spend a little time looking for Swallow-tailed Kites. April is traditionally a good month to find a wandering individual or two of this southern species in locations far to the north of typical present-day breeding locations.

April Swallow-tailed Kites have wandered, regularly, to many locations far north of the present-day breeding range. Warm air and southerly flow are favorable conditions to carry an individual or two far afield.

This map shows April observations of the species in the eBird database. So, whether you are in Maine or Virginia or along the shoreline of the Great Lakes, go out and find yourself a Swallow-tailed Kite and then enter your observations in eBird!

STKI April map

Addendum: Jon Corcoran and Frode Jacobsen found a Swallow-tailed Kite and documented it nicely in their eBird checklists from Maryland on 13 April 2013.

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