Further Observations on a Pair of Square-tailed Kites Nesting near Grafton, New South Wales

A pair of Square-tailed Kites Lophoictinia isura nesting near Grafton on the north coast of New South Wales in 1995 was monitored over the subsequent breeding seasons of 1996 to 1999. The pair produced no young in 1996 and 1997, one fledgling in 1998, and 2 fledglings in 1999. The 1998 fledgling, a runt, was taken into the care of Wildlife Information and Rescue Service, where it died in captivity. One of the 1999 fledglings was also found weak, and was taken into care where it has remained, having attained insufficient strength or motor skills for release. Diet at the 1999 nest consisted mainly of nestling birds, and also an adult Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius , an adult passerine, beetles, and larvae of the paper-wasp Polistes .