Pale silver gray hawk?

[Bullitt]

I am betting based on location and apparent size the bird in question was a Mississippi Kite.

See link. for images http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mississippi+kite&FORM=HDRSC2

That looks like the right color also.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

The only bird that is silent when it flies is a owl. Owls have heads that look the size of softballs. Hawks have broad and blunt wings. Falcons have long narrow or slender wings with pointed ends. A falcon's wing beat can look like a strobe light it is so rapid. Hard to miss that. Lacking more evidence I agree that it is a Mississippi Kite.

Good job centrarchid. Keep up the good work.

 

[cowgirl boots]

Thank you for all the help. I have doubts that it was a mississippi kite based on what I have read about them in the Audubon handbook of eastern birds. Their size is an average of 14 inches, and they have a narrow tail. The one I saw was at least 25 to 30 inches. Thank you so much for all the input.

 

[centrarchid]

Thank you for all the help. I have doubts that it was a mississippi kite based on what I have read about them in the Audubon handbook of eastern birds. Their size is an average of 14 inches, and they have a narrow tail. The one I saw was at least 25 to 30 inches. Thank you so much for all the input.

See following link. Wingspan of Mississippi Kite matches your original color and wingspan descriptions very well. To me the females look bigger than they are. Nonetheless as kites they are a handful of nothing owing to how lightly built they are.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_Kite

 

[cowgirl boots]

Centrarchid,
I must have mistakenly read the 14 inches to mean wingspan. After reading your link, I think it was very likely a Mississippi Kite. And it was probably only interested in the chick, not the hens, since the research says they typically eat grasshoppers and bugs, but sometimes frogs, small snakes, and small birds. And it did glide, as the link described. As it left my yard, it went through the air and over the neighbors fence and roof like a paper airplane would, no flapping, just gliding. It was beautiful and mysterious, but I hope it doesn't come back. Thank you!

 

[centrarchid]

I used to see them all the time around our fish farm ponds only but now as their range is expanding north so they can even be seen anywhere there are larger insects to go after. Mine seem to look for larger dragon flies, katydids and grasshoppers. I doubt seriously they would go after even a newly hatched chick if adult chicken is around. A kite get destroyed by an aggressive chicken larger than a bantam.


I like the Mississippi Kites, they often fly about in groups like giant sized swallows and it is impressive how they catch the otherwise incredibly fast dragonflies.