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Manatee County

Audubon Society

Snail Kite

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Name

Snail Kite

Scientific Name

(Rostrhamus sociabilis)

Why they are special:
  • A highly specialized raptor that feeds almost exclusively on apple snails, making it a true wetland specialist.

  • Its curved bill is perfectly adapted for extracting snails from their shells.

Size and color:
  • Medium-sized raptor, 15–18 inches long with a wingspan of 40–46 inches.

  • Dark gray to black with pale underwings and a sharply hooked, bright orange or yellow bill.

  • Long, slender legs and slightly rounded tail.

Seasonality in Florida:
  • Year-round resident, mostly in southern freshwater wetlands such as the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee.

Habitat:
  • Freshwater marshes, swamps, and slow-moving wetlands rich in apple snails.

  • Often glides low over water searching for prey.

Diet:
  • Primarily apple snails; occasionally small amphibians if snails are scarce.

Behavior:
  • Often seen hovering briefly or gliding low over vegetation while hunting.

  • Nests in shrubs or small trees near wetlands; lays 2–4 eggs.

Conservation notes:
  • Populations are vulnerable to wetland loss and changes in water management that reduce apple snail abundance.

  • Protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and benefit from wetland restoration projects.

Best time to see:
  • Year-round in southern Florida wetlands; most visible during daylight foraging flights.

Fun Fact:
  • Snail Kites are so specialized that their survival is tightly linked to the availability of apple snails—a true example of an evolutionary specialist.
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