Mississippi Kite – Feeding on the wingIctinia mississippiensis May – Texas L=14” ...... WS=31” ...... WT= 10 oz Order: Falconiformes (Diurnal Birds of prey) Family: Accipitridae (Hawks and Allies) Mississippi Kites are acrobatic flyers who catch insects from a perch or on the wing. They are highly migratory wintering in South America and migrate in large flocks. The individuals on the next two pages were feeding on insects high in the air.
Mississippi Kite – Feeding on the wingIctinia mississippiensis May – Texas L=14” ...... WS=31” ...... WT= 10 oz Order: Falconiformes (Diurnal Birds of prey) Family: Accipitridae (Hawks and Allies)
Dark-eyed Junco – "Oregon"Junco hyemalis January – Colorado L=6.25” ...... WS=9.25”....... WT=0.7 oz Order: Passeriformes (Passerine Birds) Family: Emberizidae (New World Sparrows) The Dark-eyed Junco was considered 5 distinct groups, two of which had sub-species, until the 1970’s when the American Ornithologist’s Union grouped all five into one species. Still, the distinctiveness of the individual sub groups was recognized. Today the Dark-eyed Junco has the following five groups – “slate-colored”, “Oregon”, “white-winged”, “gray-headed”, and “Gaudalupe”. The “pink-sided” shown here is a sub-species of the group “Oregon”. Clearly, though these are considered to be one species the physical differences are notable. Even with this confusion, the Dark-eyed Junco is one of the most common and most recognized birds in North America. It is abundant, tame, conspicuous in its foraging behavior, and frequents feeders and urban landscapes.
