Bonham -- A spacious, sprawling park such as Powder Creek Park in Bonham is a perfect place for kite flying.  Perhaps that is why the 35-acre park is now home to a colony of graceful raptors known as Mississippi kites. But bird watchers shouldn't tarry if they want to study these small gray birds of prey because this winter these same birds may be soaring over Argentina.

photo by Casey Jones

It is typical for Mississippi kites to nest in colonies and a dead tree in Powder Creek Park is home to more than a half-dozen of the migratory birds. With a breeding range predominantly in the Deep South and the southern half of the Great Plains, Mississippi kites appear to be increasing in population and expanding their range. In recent years, the birds have shown a greater tendency to raise their young in urban settings because many natural enemies, such as owls, are less likely to be found in cities.

Mississippi kites have been showing up in Bonham in increasing numbers for the past four or five years. The sleek gray raptor feeds primarily on large flying insects, with dragonflies and grasshoppers often falling victim to the swift aerial hunters. A kite will swoop in and latch onto prey with its talons and enjoy a snack in midair.

According to Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, as the onset of cool fall weather brings a diminishing number of flying insects, Mississippi kites gather in large flocks and funnel through the south tip of Texas on their way to winter in South America.

photos by Casey Jones

photos by Allen Rich