Swallow-tailed Kite

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In North Carolina, Swallow-tailed Kites seem to be expanding their range. They may be nesting in the Wilmington area, and wanderers are occasionally seen on the Outer Banks. In early May of 2007, a number of Swallow-tailed Kites were seen at a traditional Mississippi Kite spot in Johnston County along Richardson Bridge Rd (NC 1201) about a mile south of Brogden Rd. For the past few summers there have been sightings along the lower Cape Fear River, notably the area of Locks No 1 in Bladen County.

In South Carolina, Swallow-tailed Kites are more widespread, though endangered. The International Center for Birds of Prey collects sightings online. Traditionally good places to find them in numbers include Allendale kite area, Francis Marion National Forest and Santee Delta Wildlife Management Area .

Swallow-tailed Kites are long distance migrants, arriving in the Carolinas in spring and leaving in mid to late summer for wintering grounds in South America. Especially during the spring migration, birds are sometimes found north of their breeding grounds. These are commonly known as "overshoots" and are thought to make their way back south after a short time. Overshoots happen often enough that those living to the north of the breeding range may be lucky enough to find a Swallow-tailed Kite during the April to May period, especially along the Outer Banks of North Carolina.