Home Range, Habitat Use, and Nest Site Characteristics of Mississippi Kites in the White River National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas

Abstract

We located 39 Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) nests during the 2004 and 2005 breeding seasons in the White River National Wildlife Refuge in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Arkansas, USA. Radio transmitters were placed on seven adult and eight juvenile kites; 649 locations based on ground telemetry and 393 locations from aircraft were recorded for six adults (n = 5 males, 1 female) and five juveniles (n = 2 males, 3 females). The mean 90% kernel home range was 3,098 ha for adult kites (n = 6) and 439 ha (n = 5) for juveniles. Radio-marked Mississippi Kites significantly used mature forest (65.6%), second growth (15.5%), and water (10.0%) relative to availability (59.6, 11.5, and 7.1%, respectively). Agriculture fields (6.5%) and wetlands (1.5%) were used significantly less within the home ranges of kites relative to availability (17.6 and 3.9%, respectively). Tree height, diameter at breast height (dbh), and height of nest tree emergence above the surrounding trees were significantly greater for nest sites than randomly-selected overstory trees. Nest trees were significantly closer to the edge than randomly-selected trees. Most (57%) Mississippi Kite nests were in crotches of secondary branches in the nest tree. Conservation of super-emergent trees and mature forests is needed for nesting and foraging areas. Second-growth forest should be allowed to mature (>75 years) and uniform canopies should be avoided.