Snail Kite

The Snail Kite is a wetland specialist found from Florida through Central America and much of South America, tied closely to freshwater marshes that support large populations of apple snails, its primary prey.

Adult males are almost entirely slate-gray, while females and immatures are heavily streaked brown, giving the species a striking difference in plumage between ages and sexes that is unusual among kites.

In all plumages, the tail shows a whitish base and a dark band near the tip, a useful marker even on an isolated tail feather.

Shape and Size

Wings are broad and rounded rather than pointed, an adaptation for slow, low flight over marsh vegetation while scanning for snails. Tail feathers are moderate length with a squared tip.

Color and Pattern

• Adult male body and covert feathers: uniform slate-gray
• Adult female and juvenile body feathers: warm brown with heavy dark streaking, and a pale supercilium
• Tail feathers in all plumages: whitish or pale gray base with a dark subterminal band, unlike solidly colored kite tails
• Shafts: dark

Distinguishing from Similar Species

The pale-based, dark-banded tail feather is a strong clue distinguishing this species from other American kites, which typically have plain or all-dark tails. Female and juvenile body feathers, heavily streaked brown, can resemble a small buteo but the tail pattern and marsh habitat context help confirm identity.

Adult males are almost uniformly slate-gray with a white tail base and terminal dark band; adult females and juveniles are dark brown above and heavily streaked buff-and-brown below, with a whitish face stripe. Immature males gradually molt into gray adult plumage over a couple of years.

Molt is tied to the wetland prey cycle rather than a strict calendar, often extending across much of the year in resident populations.

Restricted to freshwater marshes, shallow lakes, and wet prairies that support apple snails, including the Everglades of Florida, and extensive wetlands through Mexico, Central America, and South America to Argentina.

Many populations are largely resident but can be locally nomadic, shifting between wetlands as water levels and snail abundance change.

Flies slowly and low over marsh vegetation, dropping down to pluck apple snails from the water's surface or shallow water, then carries them to a perch to extract the snail with its narrow, deeply hooked bill.

Nests in emergent marsh vegetation or low trees near water, sometimes in loose colonies. Calls include harsh, cackling notes.

A streaked brown or gray feather with a pale-and-dark banded tail feather, found at a marsh edge, points strongly to this species.