Photo: Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Snail Kite
Rostrhamus sociabilis
Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) — Birds of Prey of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 367 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Rostrhamus
- Species sociabilis
Where it lives
Southern Florida and Caribbean to northeastern Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 367 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Snail Kite hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Snail Kite is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is a member of the Accipitridae family, within the order Accipitriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA s Florida and Caribbean to ne Argentina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 367 g, with a wing length of about 34.5 cm and a tail of around 16.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 11.6 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Snail Kite?
The Snail Kite is a large bird that weighs around 367 g.
Where does the Snail Kite live?
The Snail Kite is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA s Florida and Caribbean to ne Argentina, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Snail Kite belong to?
The Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Snail Kite eat?
The Snail Kite hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Snail Kite migrate?
The Snail Kite is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Snail Kite endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Snail Kite make?
1 real field recording of the Snail Kite — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Snail Kite's range?
The Snail Kite has a mapped global range of about 11.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.