Long tail and broad, rounded wings distinctive in flight. When perched close, note heavy hooked bill with a yellow base and yellow feet. It barely touches into the southeastern tip of Texas. Unlike most other raptors, Snail Kites nest in colonies and roost communally, sometimes among other waterbirds such as herons and Anhingas. Tropical raptor found broadly across Central and South America, occasionally north to the very southern tip of Texas. Sluggish, retiring kite that generally remains concealed within foliage of trees. These handsome gray-and-black raptors have a delicate, strongly curved bill that fits inside the snail shells to pull out the juicy prey inside. Along with not being a common bird, it is that much more difficult to observe than most birds, because it prefers a habitat over wet areas and places where it cannot be easily seen.
Underparts and underwings are heavily barred. Hunts within forest. Chondrohierax uncinatus .
www.BirdPhotos.com Eagles, Hawks, Kites Hook-billed Kite. The Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus) has a heavy, deeply hooked bill.
Feeds mostly of snails. Hook-billed Kite: Unusual tropical kite with long paddle-shaped wings.
Yellow legs, feet. A recent arrival north of the border, this sluggish tropical hawk was first found in southern Texas in 1964, and has been a regular resident there since 1975. Tail is banded.
Lives from S Texas and West Indies to N Argentina. Took about 8 photos, which as you can see are very far away. Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus uncinatus) Female Range: NA, MA, SA info. Hook-billed Kite. Gray phase (males): Above slaty; below barred gray and white.
41cm (16”), 275g.
Tail always banded with light gray and black. Plumage variable. Occurs in two morphs, gray and black, which is very rare to Texas.
The hook-billed kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus), is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles, and harriers.It occurs in the Americas, including the Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and tropical South America.. Found singly, in pairs, or in small family groups in woodlands, often near water. Details: At 2:30 pm walked to canal at tram pick up area and looking west saw this Hook-billed Kite past the concrete bridge and just around the bend. The highly specialized Snail Kite flies on broad wings over tropical wetlands as it hunts large freshwater snails.
Photo by Tom Friedel San Sebastian Reserve Envigado, Antioquia, Colombia Sizes: Request 1472x1920. next (Hook-billed Kite) last. Iris whitish; bare spot on cere; legs yellow. The bird settled into the canopy (on the resaca side of the dike), approximately where the machine shed is at the end of the farm field. The Hook-billed Kite has the smallest range into North America compared to all other kites found on the continent.
Copyright 2020 hook billed kite ebird