Quick Answer
Swallow-tailed kites do sometimes prey on chickens, especially younger and smaller chickens. However, they are opportunistic hunters and eat a variety of small animals including insects, frogs, snakes, and small mammals. Chickens are not a major part of their diet.
Do Swallow-tailed Kites Eat Chickens?
The swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus) is a graceful bird of prey found in the southeastern United States. With their distinctive forked tails and aerial agility, these raptors are a beautiful sight to behold. However, some farmers and backyard chicken owners worry about swallow-tailed kites preying on their poultry. So do swallow-tailed kites actually eat chickens?
The answer is that yes, swallow-tailed kites will sometimes eat chickens, though chickens do not make up a large percentage of their diet. As opportunistic hunters, swallow-tailed kites will prey on a variety of small animals, including birds up to the size of a chicken. Chicks and juvenile chickens are more vulnerable to these aerial predators.
Swallow-tailed Kite Diet
In order to understand the risk to chickens, it’s helpful to look at the overall diet of the swallow-tailed kite. These raptors are aggressive hunters with keen eyesight. Their diet includes:
- Insects – cicadas, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles
- Reptiles – snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles
- Small mammals – mice, voles, squirrels, rabbits
- Birds – including nestlings and eggs
Insects and reptiles make up the majority of their food. But swallow-tailed kites are certainly capable hunters and will eat birds up to chicken size. They usually eat smaller songbirds like sparrows, starlings, grackles, and meadowlarks. But young chickens and bantam chickens are also potential prey.
One research study that examined the diet of breeding swallow-tailed kites in South Carolina found that 9% of prey items were small birds, including a few chickens. So while not a staple of their diet, chickens can sometimes end up as swallow-tailed kite prey.
Hunting Habits
Swallow-tailed kites have some key adaptations that make them effective chicken predators:
- Aerobatic flight – Their graceful aerial maneuvers allow them to quickly chase and capture prey.
- Swift flying speed – They can reach speeds over 35 mph in active pursuit of prey.
- Talons and curved beak – For securely gripping and killing prey.
- Excellent vision – Their eyesight helps spot potential prey while soaring high above.
These hunting adaptations show why free-roaming chickens may be vulnerable. Swallow-tailed kites can spy chickens from the air, swiftly swoop down, and strike with their talons.
Interestingly, one study found that swallow-tailed kites are most successful hunting from a perch rather than on the wing. So they may perch in a tree, observe chickens entering a vulnerable area, and then launch an attack. This highlights the importance of keeping chickens in enclosed runs.
Risks to Chickens
Younger, smaller chickens and bantams are much more likely to be taken by a swallow-tailed kite than full grown chickens. Here are some key risk factors:
- Chicks – Newly hatched chicks are very easy prey for swallow-tailed kites.
- Juvenile chickens – Chickens under 16 weeks of age are more vulnerable.
- Bantam chickens – Smaller breeds are higher risk.
- Free-range chickens – Chickens allowed to roam freely are more easily attacked than enclosed chickens.
- Insufficient shelter – Chickens without proper shelter are more exposed.
- Predator-friendly areas – Low-hanging perches and other hunting habitats increase risk.
Full grown chickens are generally safe from swallow-tailed kites. Their larger size makes them more difficult prey. But farmers and backyard flock owners should still be vigilant about protecting juveniles and smaller breeds.
Key ways to protect chickens include:
- Enclose chickens in secure coops and runs.
- Use wire overruns and coops to prevent aerial attacks.
- Bring chicks and juveniles inside at night.
- Collect eggs frequently to prevent eating eggs and hatchlings.
- Remove low perches, brush piles, and other hunting habitats.
- Use loud sounds or flashing lights to scare off kites.
Following these precautions will help minimize risk and prevent swallow-tailed kites from becoming a serious threat.
Swallow-tailed Kite Natural History
To better understand why swallow-tailed kites occasionally eat chickens, it’s helpful to look at their natural history. Here are some key facts about these beautiful raptors:
Range
- Breed in southeastern states from Texas to North Carolina.
- Migrate to South America for the winter.
- Rare vagrants can appear outside normal range.
Breeding
- Nest high in trees, often in small loose colonies.
- Lay 2-3 eggs from March to June.
- Both parents incubate eggs and feed nestlings.
- Young fledge from nest after 6-7 weeks.
Physical Description
- Slim, graceful profile with long pointed wings.
- Deeply forked tail that opens widely in flight.
- Bold black and white plumage.
- Red eyes.
- Yellow bill with black hooked tip.
Hunting and Diet
- Hunt primarily on the wing.
- Prey on a wide variety of small animals.
- Will gather in groups where food is abundant.
- Opportunistic feeders – diet varies based on prey availability.
Conservation Status
- Populations declined in 20th century due to habitat loss and shooting.
- Now recovering and populations are increasing in many areas.
- Still rare in parts of their breeding range.
Learning more about swallow-tailed kites provides a greater appreciation for their role in nature. While they may occasionally take chickens, they help control insect and rodent populations and are important predators in their ecosystems. Protecting chickens can happen alongside enjoying the presence of these magnificent birds.
Conclusion
In summary, swallow-tailed kites are elegant aerial hunters that fill an important niche in the southeastern U.S. While they prefer insects, reptiles and small mammals, they will also opportunistically prey on chickens, especially younger and smaller ones. Free-ranging chickens are most at risk, so enclosing poultry in secure shelter is the best protection. Full-grown chickens are rarely taken. Though swallow-tailed kites may eat chickens, implementing proper precautions can allow chicken owners to safely enjoy these special birds. With care taken to shelter vulnerable poultry, swallow-tailed kites pose little threat and their graceful flights should be welcomed.