A HOW-TO GUIDE FOR VOLUNTEER MONITORING OF SWALLOW-TAILED KITES

1. A HOW-TO GUIDE FOR VOLUNTEER MONITORING OF SWALLOW-TAILED KITES 6th Annual Audubon SC STKI Boat Survey April 5-15, 2012 Contact: mmusselman@audubon.org

2. Why Do We Need Your Help? • There are only 10,000 STKI with 2500 breeding pairs in the United States, making it one of the rarest birds in the country. • Little is know about SC’s Kites or the location of their nesting sites. • Locating these sites will help conservation groups protect the species and its critical habitat, protecting many other species at the same time. • Volunteers are critical to monitoring these far-traveled birds.

3. Equipment You Will Need • A watercraft (motorized boat, canoe or kayak) • Binoculars • GPS Unit (for more accurate locations) or some physical landmarks to identify area • Report your findings to www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org

4. You Will Need to Register • Contact mmusselman@audubon.org or call Mark Musselman at (843) 462-2150 to register. • Registering will prevent duplicate efforts by volunteers and ensure that all of the search areas are covered.

5. What’s Required of Volunteers • You must be on your assigned stretch of the river at approximately 10:00 AM and finished by 2:00 PM..(or as close as possible.) • Each sighting should have a GPS coordinate or some other way to identify the location. • Please report your sightings and volunteer hours to www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.orgwithin 48 hrs. of your excursion. • If you are paddling, you must arrange for your own pickup and return to your launch location. Audubon will assist volunteers in coordinating with each other for pickup and drop-off.

6. Project Area • Edisto River (From Givhans State Park to Willtown) • Black Mingo Creek/Black River • Lower Santee River (Below the Lakes to the coast) including Wambaw Creek • Lower Savannah River • Waccamaw River • Sections of Great and Little Pee Dee Rivers/Bull Cr.

7. Identifying the Swallow-tailed Kite • The STKI is perhaps the most easily identifiable bird in South Carolina. • It is unmistakable – which allows people of all birding skill levels to be a monitoring volunteer.

8. White head, belly, underwing and undertail coverts Black tail and flight feathers 4’ Wingspan (Approx. 50 inches) Deeply Forked Tail Photo By: William Hull – www.mangoverde.com Body Length 2’ (Approx. 21 inches)

9. The Important Things to Note • How many birds did you see? • Location? (GPS Coordinates are best!) • Time of day? • Type of Behavior? • The following slides demonstrate some common behaviors:

10. Soaring and Flapping Soaring is the most common behavior for a Kite. The bird will use its tail to steer and will move it frequently. Flapping, as in flapping wings, is an important behavior to note. It means the Kite is heading somewhere with a purpose. Try to observe a flapping Kite for as long as possible.

11. Carrying Nest Material A Kite with nest building material will usually be flying with a purpose (flapping) towards the nest. Follow the Kite’s flight path and see if you can note where it lands. The material is usually cypress twigs and/or Spanish Moss.

12. Midair Feeding Kites will eat “on the wing” as pictured above, usually insects. However during nesting season a mated pair will carry food items (snakes, lizards, chicks) back to the nest. If you spot a Kite carrying food and flying with a purpose, note the direction the Kite is traveling and observe as long as possible.

13. The Third Bird Phenomenon • An “extra” Kite often associates with a mated pair of Kites. Look for multiple birds when a sighting is made. There may even be more than three. • The “third bird” is usually a young male around 1 year of age. • It is important to always note how many birds you observe. More than two birds could be an indicator of a nesting pair.

14. The Nesting Site • Kites will reuse nests and nesting areas from year to year • On the survey you may be fortunate enough to actually spot a nest. Record all of the information you can! • Remember our ultimate goal in not only to learn about Kites but to help protect their habitat.

15. Nesting Tree Clues • The nest tree will probably be taller than other trees surrounding it. • It could be, among others, a Loblolly Pine or Bald Cypress. • It is usually very straight with an open canopy (for easy access by the Kites). • The nest will be located along the main trunk of the tree near the top. • Record a GPS coordinate of the tree if you can or establish a heading from your location on the river.

16. OBSERVING THE ACTUAL NEST The nest is composed of twigs covered in mosses, usually Spanish Moss and Grandfather’s Beard. Look for the “clump” of the lighter colored nest among the darker vegetation of the tree.

17. What if I See a Kite After the Survey? • Kite monitoring never stops! If you see one after the six-day survey, report it! • Report all sightings (and behaviors) to www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org . • If you do not have GPS coordinates, use road crossings, bridges or other landmarks. • Tell you friends and family about the SC Swallow-tailed Kite monitoring effort!

18. THANK YOU! • The SC Swallow-tailed Kite Working Group includes: