#snail kite

[na-bird-of-the-day]

BOTD: Snail Kite

Photo: Diana Robinson

"In the wide-open marshes of central Florida, this broad-winged bird glides slowly and low over the sawgrass. It has no need for fast flight, because it seeks only snails -- and only one particular sort, the apple snail. This snail is strongly affected by water levels, and drainage of wetlands has hurt populations of both the snail and the kite. The Florida race of this bird, formerly called Everglades Kite, is now endangered."

- Audubon Field Guide

[rulers-of-the-sky]

Snail Kite

[abravaya-arcana]

one of my favorite linguistic phenomena is the differentiation between bill and beak when talking about birds.

they both technically mean the same thing but because of the kiki/bouba effect we use different words depending on the shape of the bird.

that is def a bill but this:

thats a beak babey!

[animal-families-tournaments]

Accipitriformes order, round 1: Small Sparrowhawk vs Snail Kite

Small Sparrowhawk

Snail Kite

Voting ended onJul 13, 2025

[autistrix]

[https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109260135]

Snail Kite || Rostrhamus sociabilis

Observed in Mexico

Near Threatened in location of observation

[battle-of-the-birds]

ROUND ONE: SNAIL KITE vs DOMESTIC CHICKEN

Snail Kite

Domestic Chicken

Voting ended onMay 23, 2023

Remember to read about the contestants before voting!

Snail Kite

Who knew that invasive species could actually help out? Well, I didn't, until the story of the Snail Kite came onto my radar. They have specialized beaks for eating snails, its hooked end is a great help in prying them out of their shells. However, the snails they used to eat had a major population drop, so the Snail Kites were struggling to make a comeback. That was, until an invasive freshwater snail began to flourish in the Florida everglades. So of course, the Snail Kite swooped in for a hearty meal and is steadily on the rise again. Learn More!

Domestic Chicken

Ah, the chicken. What a humble little creature. They give us meat, they give us eggs, and they give us companionship. There are many different kinds of chickens, coming in many different colors and plumage. They are the most numerous bird in all of the world, with a population of over 27 Billion birds! Roosters have spurs on their legs that they use to kick at other roosters, and of course at humans if we get too bothersome. What more can I say about the domestic chicken? This guy practically speaks for themselves. Learn More!

(Snail Kite photo by Angelo DelloMargio) (Domestic Chicken photo by ???)

[spinus-pinus]

Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis

5/24/2022 Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida

Unfortunately my best photo of a snail kite. The reason it looks so weird is because it was right upon arrival to this park, and my camera was all fogged up from the humidity on the inside. So I did my best with editing, but it's a very funky looking photo. Regardless, I was so so happy to see this snail kite immediately! It was the reason I visited this location. Snail kites have been one of my favorite birds for years, and I feel very lucky to have seen one in the wild.

[bird-of-the-day]

BOTD: Snail Kite

^image credit: Andreas Trepte, Wikipedia

Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis)

The Snail Kite is named because its diet consists almost entirely of Apple Snails. They glide low and slow over marshes, and drop to pick up a snail with one foot from the surfaces of water or plants. They are believed to turn to alternative food sources only when Apple Snails become scarce, such as during drought.