Overview

Snail Kite: A large bird, dark blue black overall with extremely hooked thin black bill with reddish base. In flight shows a white tail with broad dark distal band and narrow gray terminal band. Long legs are bright orange or red. Feeds on snails. Flies on slow shallow wing beats followed by glides.

Range and Habitat

Snail Kite: This bird ranges from southern Mexico to northern Argentina and resides in the United States only in peninsular Florida. It is locally common on flooded freshwater marshes, around shallow lakes, and along freshwater courses.

Breeding and Nesting

Snail Kite: Two to four white eggs sometimes marked with brown are laid in a nest of green or dry sticks and leafy twigs. Nest is built by both sexes but male does most of the work. Nest is placed in a low tree, 3-9 feet above ground, or on a hammock of marsh grass. Incubation ranges from 26 to 30 days and is carried out by both sexes. These birds usually have one brood per year but can also have two if there is plenty of food available.

Foraging and Feeding

Snail Kite: This bird feeds mostly on prosobranch freshwater snails of genus Pomacea, also called a green or apple snail, which lays its tiny white eggs on plant stems a few inches above the water. Flies above water surface with its head pointed downward searching for prey in water below. Once snail is detected, Snail Kite hovers just above water surface and extends feet to grasp prey with talons. Snail Kite never takes snail with its bill, nor does it plunge in the manner of fish-eating raptors; adults seldom get belly feathers wet.

Vocalization

Snail Kite: This bird's greeting call is grating "kor-ee-ee-a, koree-a."" Also utters crying "k-a-a-a-a-a-a-a" and repetitive "ker-wuck" or "ku-kuak." Both sexes give a "ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka" call.

Similar Species

Snail Kite: The Northern Harrier is found in similar habitat and has a white rump but the harrier has thinner wings, and does not have white in the tail.