[4] The current genus of Ictinia originated with Louis Pierre Vieillot's 1816 Analyse d'une nouvelle Ornithologie Elémentaire.

He had first observed the species in the Mississippi Territory, while the bird's long pointed wings and forked tail suggested that it was a type of kite.

[9] Sightings are frequently documented across many states, including Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

[10] Indeed, the species' territory has expanded west due to the creation of shelterbelts (similar to hedgerows), usually planted in grassland habitats, providing shelter and food for numerous birds.

This Mississippi kite migrates to subtropical and temperate regions of South America for the winter, mostly to northern Argentina and southern Brazil.

[9] However, there are exceptions, as mixed flocks may occur; groups of up to 10,000 birds at one time may be observed, such as at Fuerte Esperanza, Argentina.

[12] They will often patrol around herds of livestock or grazing wild ungulates (such as bison or wapiti), to catch insects stirred-up from the ground.

[7] Mississippi kites usually lay two white eggs (rarely one or three) in twig-constructed nests that rest in a variety of deciduous trees, most commonly elm, eastern cottonwood, hackberry, oak or mesquite; other than within elm and cottonwood trees, most nests are less than 20 feet (6 m) above the ground,[9] and are usually near water.

For the past 75 years, the species has experienced changes in nesting habitat, adapting from open forest and savanna to include hedgerows and shelterbelts, and is now a common nester in urban areas in the western south-central states.

This can make the bird a nuisance when it chooses to roost in populated urban spots such as golf courses or schools.