Kites make annual appearance at Altus

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Monique Randolph
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AFB, Okla. --  It's the time of year again when the Mississippi kites pay a visit to Altus Air Force Base. Perhaps a little misunderstood, these yearly visitors are only doing what every loving parent would do: protecting their young. 

Mississippi kite birds are very protective of their chicks and will become aggressive if they perceive a threat to the nest, said Eric W. Cowan, U.S. Department of Agriculture wildlife biologist at the 97th Air Mobility Wing safety office. 

Kites will attack anything that comes near the nesting area, including people and animals. They attack with their talons and will normally approach from the air, swoop down and come as close as four to five feet to the threat. 

The physical contact rate is only about three percent, but that number only includes the attacks that are actually reported. 

Typically, the most common injuries from kite attacks are scalp lacerations, and there is also the potential for hand and eye injuries. 

Because the kites are a protected species, multiple attacks must be reported in the same nesting location before the nest can be removed, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service policy. 

A swoop without contact is considered an attack for reporting purposes. Wing Safety can only remove a nest if more than one incident is reported at a single location.
Once the eggs or chicks have been removed from the nest, the adult birds lose the urge to protect it. The chicks are taken to a wildlife rehabilitator who will care for them until they are mature enough to be released. 

The most common nesting site for the kites is the northwest corner of the Windy Trails golf course on base. However, they have been sighted in base housing and other locations with trees. 

The kites' physical characteristics make them easily distinguishable from other birds on base.
 
"Kites are approximately 14 inches tall with a three-foot wingspan, and they weigh 8 - 11 ounces, Mr. Cowan said. "They have a light-gray head, nape and belly, with darker gray back and upper parts. 

Normally the kites arrive between late April and early May. Once they start getting populated around the golf course and paths, Wing safety will put up warning signs, publish base-wide emails, place warnings on the Commander's Access Channel, give safety briefings and put a sign at trees with nests. 

When in areas known to be inhabited by kites, people should pay attention to the signs and look up, Mr. Cowan said. When they attack, kites tend to aim for the highest point, which is usually the head. To avoid serious injury to the head or face, individuals should wear a hat, and if a kite begins to approach, hold the hat up above the head. If the person is not wearing a hat, holding hands above the head may help. 

If a kite swoops down, Mr. Cowen also suggests people keep moving. 

"A lot of people stop and swing at them," he said. "Just keep moving through the area or they will continue to come back and swoop at you." 

The easiest way to prevent kite attacks is to avoid these areas and use alternative jogging tracks, Mr. Cowen said. The track in Great Plains housing is a good alternative to the golf course track. 

To report a kite attack, contact the 97th AMW safety office at 481-7920 or 481-7289 and provide as precise a location as possible for the attack.