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December 2023

Vol. 51, No. 6`

New Hampshire’s Mississippi Kites Have Another Disappointing Nesting Year in 2023

Steve Mirick

The fledged Mississippi Kite chick a day after leaving its nest. Photograph by Steve Mirick.
The fledged Mississippi Kite chick a day after leaving its nest. Photograph by Steve Mirick.

Once again, Mississippi Kites had a difficult year nesting in New Hampshire in 2023. I am guessing the cloudy and wet weather in June was a big factor. As in the past two years, only a single nest was found and only a single chick was confirmed to fledge, even though at least four pairs of kites were confirmed on territory. The kites became famous when they were first found nesting in 2008; this is at least the sixteenth consecutive year that between one and four pairs have nested in New Hampshire in this isolated, rare, nesting colony. Here is the summary of the four territories of these Mississippi Kites.

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