The eight Swallow-tailed Kites we are tracking by satellite left the U.S. by late August and settled into their Brazilian and Bolivian winter ranges by mid-October. As the temperature drops here in North America, it is increasing in South America where conditions are heavy with heat and precipitation.
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Slidell spent 6 weeks near Juara, Mato Grosso, then headed south 390km on 30 November where she now is southeast of Nova Mutum.
Gulf Hammock has been traveling over a stretch 100km west of Concepcion, Bolivia. She had a very similar winter range in 2012.
Palmetto Bluff also traveled through Bolivia where she stayed last year, but this year she took her time, traveling through the country over a 20 day period, and finally settling in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
Suwannee has stayed west of Tres Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul since 12 October covering an area that stretches 70km north to south over mixed pasture, agriculture and forest patches along small rivers.
Incredibly, MIA, Pace, Day and Palmetto Bluff all made their way to the same roost in Mato Grasso do Sul, Brazil. These birds, tagged at different times and places (Miami, Jacksonville, Daytona and Palmetto Bluff, respectively) converged on this area independently of each other over a period of 28 days. This is half our study population. Can you imagine how many thousands of Swallow-tailed Kites there may be in this one area? We also know from our many years of field studies on the Brazilian winter range that the Swallow-tailed Kites from the U.S. are flocking at this time with thousands of breeding and wintering Plumbeus Kites plus a large portion of the wintering Mississippi Kites from the U.S. This is a strong reminder of how important it is to protect these winter foraging and roosting habitats on the winter range and to ensure that there are compatible farming and logging practices.
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