| Kite, Everglade snail | |||
| Genus | Rostrhamus | ||
| Species | sociabilis | ||
| Subspecies | plumbeus | ||
| Status | Endangered | ||
| Habitat | Freshwater marshes | ||
| Distribution | USA (Florida), Cuba | ||
| Appearance | The Everglade snail kite is a medium-sized hawk, about 41 to 46 cm long, with a wingspan of 114 cm. It has a slender and strongly hooked beak. Adult males are slate gray in color with a black head and wingtips, and a white patch at the base of its tail. The kite's legs are orange-red. Females and young are buffy colored, heavily streaked with dark lines, and have a white rump and yellow legs. | ||
| Behavior | Kites nest in loose groups, with 150 meters or less between nests. They often make nests near other birds such as herons and egrets. Nests are 1 to 3 meters above the water in low trees or shrubs, loose and bulky, 30 to 38 cm in diameter, and 20-30 cm deep. It is usually made out of twigs and Spanish moss, and lined with grasses and vines. | ||
| Diet | Freshwater apple snails | ||
| Feeding |
Everglade snail kites only eat one type of food, and that is the apple snail. These birds will fly 1.5 to 9 meters above the surface of the water, descending when they see a snail. The snails ar ethen grasped with a single talon and transferred to the beak while still in flight. Kites will sometimes hunt from perches. The snails are extracted, eaten, and the shells discarded.
Captive kites can survive on horse meat and will eat other species of snails. Their natural dependence upon apple snails is probably because of the snail's occurrence near the water's surface, unlike other snail species. | ||
| Communication | During part of the courtship ritual, the male will carry a small twig in his beak while flying and make a series of swooping dives with his wings folded. | ||
| Breeding | The breeding season of the snail kite is variable, and correlated to snail availability, rainfall, and temperature. Generally, however, the season lasts from February to June. Eggs are oval in shape and smooth, and a dull white color with brown mottling. The male bird is the one that builds the nest, though both parents incubate and help raise the young. | ||
| No. of Young | 2-4 eggs | ||
| Conservation |
The Everglade snail kite is endangered because of reduction of suitable habitat. The drainage of marshes is the primary reason it is endangered. Droughts and water management have also affected its population by reducing the number of apple snails, the bird's only food source. Water hyacinths, an introduced plant, covers the water surface in many ares, making it impossible for these kites to locate apple snails. Human disturbance and malicious killings have also contributed to the reduction in numbers.
Control of plant density and snail-stocking have been two methods used to help preserve this bird. Artificial nesting platforms have been used to support nests. The response of these birds to preservation efforts have been favorable, but they can only continue to survive if this management is continued. The only solutions for saving the kite would be an expensive land-acquisition program, providing protection during the hunting season, establishing a buffer zone around nesting areas, maintaining adequate surface water, and researching its biology. | ||
| Animal Communication Panel | |||
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