Are they endangered?No,
they are not endangered worldwide. (IUCN Red list:
Least concern) They are endangered in certain places
around the world, though. An example is in the United
States. (Florida) Everglade Snail Kites are listed as
endangered on the United States Fish & Wildlife
Endangered Species system.
What are their past/present problems?
Man has become the enemy for these birds. If wetlands
are drained to build other things on them, then the
snails that are the Snail Kite’s food die. The Snail
Kites die of starvation. If there are droughts, the
same thing happens.
What do they look like?
They are bluish black birds with tail feathers that are
white with a wide black band. Their eyes are ringed in
red. Their
beaks and feet are an orange color.
How big are they?
These birds are 1 ½ feet long. If their wings were
spread out, they would be 3 ½ feet wide.
How many eggs do they lay?
Females lay between 2 and 4 white eggs once or twice a
year depending on how much food there is. Eggs hatch in
a month.
How long do the
fledglings stay in the nest?
They build stick nests low to the ground. The young
birds (fledglings) will leave the nest in about 4 weeks.
When do they hunt?
They hunt during the day. (diurnal)
What do they eat?
They eat fresh water snails.
Where do they live? They
live in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and parts of
South America.
What kind of place do
they like to live in? They
like to live in wetland swamps, marshes, and around water.
Interesting facts:
These are the only birds of prey that eat one kind of
food.
Since their prey is a slow moving snail, these birds fly
slowly when they are looking for food.
Works Cited:
Alsop,
Fred. Birds of North America. New York: DK Publishing,
2001.
Houston, Alex. “Re: Picture Donation.” E-mail to Club Web. 8
Feb. 2008.
