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The Orleans Audubon Society is partnering with the local Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program
(BTNEP) and the Avian Research and Conservation Institute to learn more about Swallow-tailed Kites in the Barataria-Terrebonne Basin, and how community members can help prevent these birds from nearing extinction.
The Swallow-tailed Kite is a bird of prey that breeds in the Southeastern U.S. and migrates to South America during the winter season, turning heads with striking black and white plumage and deeply forked tail–Unfortunately, their population size has been shrinking dramatically over the years. Because of this, it is more important now than ever to track the Kites’ movements to better understand their migratory pathways and to discover where the important areas are that we need to conserve, such as their breeding, stopover, and wintering sites to reduce population shrinkage.
Dr. Jennifer Coulson, who has been studying Swallow-tailed kites for more than 20 years, explained that these research societies need community involvement and help to protect these special birds. “In our work to conserve Kites, we are urging the public to report to BTNEP or the Orleans Audubon Society when they see a bird or nest,” said Dr. Coulson. “Knowing where they are frequenting is extremely helpful in protecting them, and we piece together information on their location from local tips.”
Once local scientists know the location of a Kite thanks to community assistance, they are able to equip the birds with a GPS satellite transmitter to track the bird’s movements and understand their patterns better. On July 27, 2023, BTNEP and the Orleans Audubon Society were able to tag a female Swallow-tail Kite, who has already started her migratory journey south. Watch more here.
“These birds are extremely dear to my heart,” said Dr. Coulson. “We want to help them as much as we can and are really excited about this new partnership.”
To learn more about Swallow-tailed Kites, their appearance, their nesting habits, and more to help spot them, please click here. If you believe you have located a Swallow-tailed kite or a nest, please contact the Orleans Audubon Society as soon as possible via their email OrleansAudubon@aol.com, or contact BTNEP at (985) 447-0868 or via their email info@BTNEP.org.
