"Small kite with long tail and long narrow pointed wings. With wings extended, trailing edge is straight to slightly convex ...M. head whitish gray, tail uniformly dark ... 1st Yr: Similar to ad. f. but with banded tail ..." (The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America, p. 149)

"Uncommon. Most often seen soaring over patches of woods and open areas ... Often found in small groups, larger flocks during migration. Feeds on cicadas, dragonflies, and other insects captured in the air or plucked from leaves while flying." (The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, p. 94)

"... rare and very local summer residents in the Pineywoods ...." (The TOS Handbook of Texas Birds, p. 42)

The USGS website adds:

"Mississippi Kite has a similar shape [to the White-tailed Kite], but is much darker in all plumages, never having a white breast, white tail, or the black shoulder or wrist marks of the White-tailed Kite."

Photo taken with a Nikon D80 using a Nikon 400mm, f/5.6, manual focus lens.