Mississippi Kite BIF

Immature Mississippi Kite at low altitude directly overhead. My books all show them with straight tails in flight, but they definitely have their tails fanned out like a bueto. The adults seem to keep their tails straight in flight.

The trailing edge of the flight feathers have a narrow white band so this is not a wide halo cause by sharpening (not to say that my PP couldn't stand some improvement).

Their tails are one of their three major flight surfaces, they are used as needed. All depends on what the bird is doing and the conditions.

very nice

peregrineflier wrote in post #10857235
Their tails are one of their three major flight surfaces, they are used as needed. All depends on what the bird is doing and the conditions.

dgraham329 wrote in post #10859242
very nice

Thanks for the comments, guys.

Tom, I see that you are right about the tail feathers. Here is another shot with the tail feathers not fanned out as much.

Nice shot

Thank you, akhan.