Nearly 30 Mississippi kites have been spotted at Midland's Grafa Park. Every year, the migratory raptors migrate to the region, in part because of the availability of food and safe nesting areas.

Although Mississippi kites were seen flying around this area of Arlington last summer, 2016 was the first year in which a kite nest with a chick in it was actually located.

Mississippi kites inhabit open wooded areas, wooded river corridors and suburban areas. They nest in colonies, making small, shallow, bowl-shaped structures built out of sticks.

Unlike many of our raptors, Mississippi kites are migrants. They spend the winter as far south as Argentina, arriving back to delight the first week of May. I always look for them on Cinco de Mayo.

Mississippi kites are the smaller of the two species, being about the size of a Cooper’s hawk. But from a distance they can be mistaken for a falcon.

WHO: Taquito the baby bird. WHAT: A lost Mississippi kite hatchling is wrapped in a flour tortilla and saved. WHY IT’S SO GREAT: We here at Texas Monthly are smitten with animals. Our regular ...

Mississippi kites have bred in several other locations since, and there are probably at least a few annual nesting pairs now. History seems to be repeating itself, ...

Katie Adlong of Amarillo, Texas, found the Mississippi Kite chick on the ground with no signs of adult birds nearby. She kept the bird warm and safe in a freshly grilled tortilla. Mary Walrath ...

A family found the Mississippi kite on the ground while outside barbecuing. They said it felt cold so they heated up a tortilla on the grill to wrap around it.