The next time you see a large bird circling above, take a good look before deciding your pets or small children are in danger.

It might be a swallowtail kite, which is making a slow comeback in St. Tammany Parish. While classified as a bird of prey, the kite survives by feasting on flying insects or small green snakes, so Fido is safe.

“The biggest thing a swallowtail would eat might be a tree-roosting bat,” said ornithologist Dr. Jennifer Coulson. “It would be scared to death of a dog.”

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Coulson and her husband, Tom, are working with the Orleans Audubon Society to monitor the local swallowtail kite population. While not endangered and therefore subject to federal protection, the bird is categorized as a “species of special concern” and falls under the Migratory Bird Treaty of 1918.

It began to die out about 100 years ago, mainly due to extensive cypress logging in the region. In addition, collectors were prone to steal the bird’s eggs, and poachers killed the bird for its feathers. These acts led to the treaty, which protects everything but game birds.

The bird is easily recognizable, with a white head and breast and a deeply forked black tail and wings.

A member of the hawk family, its body is about the size of a crow.

It carries a light wing load, which means it can soar through the air without stalling but renders it incapable of carrying off anything much larger than a mouse.

While a good portion of the region’s forest has been reestablished, the kite population is still struggling. Add to that the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, and conservationists have cause for concern.

There are signs of hope, however. Coulson’s team is currently monitoring about 20 kite nests, scattered throughout St. Tammany. They hope to determine how many nests are successful, how many young are produced, and the causes of nesting failure.

The kite nests from late March through early August, before heading south for the winter.

“This bird spends about half the year nesting, and the other half migrating down to Brazil,” she said. “It’s a real challenge for biologists, to determine exactly what is holding the population back.”

The researchers hope to add a few more nests to their list and are encouraging residents to report any sightings. Of particular interest are sightings of nests, roosts, kites carrying nest material or food, sightings of more than one kite, and locations where kites are seen often.

Reports should include the date of the sighting and a detailed description of its location, the direction the kite was traveling, and if the bird was carrying food or nest materials. Full contact information should also be included.

To submit swallowtail kite sightings or for more information, contact Coulson at (504) 717-3544 or jacoulson@aol.com.