Whatbird.com

I live in a rural area of East Texas about 100 miles from Gulf of Mexico but near two very large freshwater lakes. There was a very large bird, about the same size as a Redtailed Hawk, soaring over my yard at mid-day today. It was a beautiful white outlined with coal black and the markings were very definite. The most striking feature was the double pointed tail. The wings were curved backward and rather pointed. It's flight pattern reminded me of a bird of prey, but the overall appearance was that of a seabird. I do not ever recall seing this particular bird before.

Look at a swallow-tailed kite, if not it maybe I am not sure

After further research I am convinced that I saw a Swallow Tailed Kite. I have lived at my present location for 8 yrs and within the area for over 40 yrs as well as having fished the lakes and their ajoining rivers many times and do not remember ever seing one before.

That's cool I have never seen one. We get them here in North Louisiana, but hav yet to see one. Good find.

Thanks for the help.

I had posted this picture from Whatbirds.com in reference to a similar question on ID

This is a Swallow-tailed kite 

 

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"Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress."
Mahatma Gandhi

sounds like the ones flying around here. found this in neighbors tree today

it's really cool when you think about it. these kites like to pup up every now and then. I have lived in my home for 21 years and seen them twice over my home. 

Does anyone know the range of swallow-tailed kites?  I could have sworn that I saw one a couple of weeks ago near my home in Pearland, Tx (just outside of Houston).  I didn't think their range included this area, though.

I am just south of you closer to the coast between beaumont and orange. Its a swallow tail Kite. They glide thru the air so beautiful.

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Itsjustdeb

Swallow-tailed Kites range from South Carolina down through easternmost Texas.

Just so you will know, at the bottom of this page there is a link to a browser. You can type in any bird and it will give you a map of its range, not that it locks that bird into that range, but it will give you some idea. Or Cornell University has a link to maps of a birds range, several times it has differed slightly than on here..... but basically the same.

Its nice to look at, gives you all sorts of information about each bird.

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Itsjustdeb

I seen a Swallow-tail Kite about two months ago in Highlands.  First time around here.  Seen a pair near Orange about 3 months ago.  Also, I've seen them between Dayton and Liberty along Hwy 90 beginning about 6 years ago.