Swallow-tailed Kite Records
Note: All records listed here have been accepted by PORC and published in their Annual Report unless otherwise noted.
All records are listed in reverse chronological order.
Swallow-tailed Kite --- Colerain Township, Lancaster County; March 13, 2005. Photos by Tom Amico.
A couple horseback riding in Southern Lancaster County found this adult bird sitting on the ground at the base of a large pine along the Octoraro Creek. It seemed to have trouble holding its head upright and made no attempt to escape. They took the bird back to their house and tried to find someone that could help it, but the bird was dead within the hour. According to "The Birds of Pennsylvania" by McWilliams and Brauning (2000), this appears to be the earliest-ever record for the state, beating the listed early date of May 11th by almost two months.
Swallow-tailed Kite --- Somerset, Bedford County; May 17, 2004. Photo by Bill Zemaitis.
This photo shows the distinctive forked tail and the black-and-white coloration.
