South Florida is home to several fascinating kite species. These elegant birds of prey are known for their aerial agility and unique hunting techniques. Swallow-tailed kites, snail kites, and white-tailed kites can all be found in Florida.
All three kites share exceptional flight skills and a preference for open, wet habitats making South Florida one of the few places in the U.S. where you're likely to see more than one species in a single day.
Appearance: Swallow-tailed Kites are easily recognized by their bold black-and-white coloring and long, forked tail.
Flight Style: Swallow-tailed Kites are exceptionally graceful. They glide effortlessly with minimal wingbeats, and are often seen "kiting" over forests and wetlands.
Diet: Swallow-tailed Kites feed on insects, lizards, frogs, and small birds. They often eat on the wing, where they eating without landing.
Habitat: Swallow-tailed Kites prefer remote swamps and tall trees for nesting. Commonly seen in areas like the Everglades and Big Cypress from March to August.
Migration: Swallow-tailed Kites travel thousands of miles to South America after the breeding season.
Specialist Feeder: Snail Kites feed almost exclusively on apple snails, using its slender, hooked bill to extract them from their shells.
Habitat: Snail Kites live in freshwater marshes, primarily in the Everglades, Lake Okeechobee, and surrounding wetlands.
Conservation Note: Snail Kites were once endangered due to habitat loss and snail population declines, but are recovering in part thanks to adapting to invasive snail species.
Appearance: Snail Kite Males are slate-gray with red eyes, Snail Kite females are brown and heavily streaked.
Rarity: White-tailed Kites are the least common of the three kites in South Florida but occasionally spotted, especially in open grasslands or agricultural areas.
Appearance: White-tailed Kites have a white body with gray wings, striking black shoulder patches, and bright red eyes.
Behavior: White-tailed Kites are known for “hover-hunting” where they suspend in the air while scanning the ground for small mammals like rodents.
Range: White-tailed Kites are most common in western and central U.S., but scattered sightings occur in South Florida, especially during winter or migration.
All kites exhibit acrobatic flight, often catching food on the wing.
Kites often roost communally, especially Swallow-tailed Kites, forming roosts with dozens or hundreds of individuals before migration.
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