Rare Kansas Raptors
Some raptor species have been found only a few times in Kansas.
The county dot maps indicate where those sightings occurred.
Swallow-tailed Kite
Elanoides forficatus
According to N. S. Goss in his “History of the Birds of Kansas,” published in 1891, the swallow-tailed kite was an irregular summer resident around the turn of the century. The most recent sighting occurred near Topeka in 1972.
White-tailed Kite
Elanus leucurus
In 1989, a pair nested in Pottawatomie County. The nest and young were destroyed in a thunderstorm. Additional sightings have occurred in Kiowa County in 2000 and Finney County in 2001.
Harris’ Hawk
Parabuteo unicinctus
The only record of nesting Harris’s hawks was in Meade County in 1963. There are six other sight records. The most recent was in Cowley County in 2000.
Gray Hawk
Asturina nitida
One record has been accepted in Kansas. It was seen in Clay County in 1990.
Western Screech-Owl
Otus kennicottii
There are less than ten records of western screech-owls in Kansas. All of them are from Morton County along the Cimarron River.
Flammulated Owl
Otus flammeolus
One bird was observed for about 10 minutes in May of 2000 in Morton County at the Cimarron National Grasslands.