The Enigmatic Snail Kite of the Florida Everglades

Once known as the Everglades Snail Kite, the Snail Kite can be found gliding slowly over aquatic vegetation in shallow lakes and marshes of Florida’s Everglades, looking for Apple Snails. Common in Central and South America, the Snail Kite is unfortunately endangered in South Florida owing to habitat loss, pollution and the decline of its main food source, the Apple Snail (Pomacea Paludosa). Accurate information regarding Snail Kite populations is difficult to assess, however, conservative estimates suggest that they are thought to number approximately 2,000 birds in South Florida.

As their Latin name “sociabilis” implies, they live and roost together. The kites are recognizable by their long, sickle-shaped, hooked bill. This specialized bill allows the kite to extract the snail from its shell. The male is slate-grey with a gorgeous ruby coloured eye and orange feet. The female is browner, with streaked underparts and a duller coloured eye.

80% of the Everglades have been drained for commercial, urban and agricultural use. Yet virtually continuous flooding of wetlands is needed to support Apple Snail populations. In turn, they sustain the Snail Kites that require foraging areas that are relatively clear and open so that they can visually search for Apple Snails. Disposal of domestic sewage through septic tanks and runoff from agricultural lands degrade the water quality and promote dense growth of exotic and invasive plants; dense vegetation is not conducive to efficient foraging. And if these pressures weren’t enough, a new problem has recently occurred in the shape of the introduction of a new and much larger invasive apple snail species, the Island Apple Snail (Pomacae maculate). This has created concerns over possible negative impacts on the native Apple Snail population and in turn the Snail Kite, although the jury is still out on this. Life is very precarious when a species relies almost exclusively on one food source for survival. Snail Kites will eat small turtles, snakes and fish, but they need the Apple Snail to survive.

A male Snail Kite grabs an Apple Snail, demonstrating the clear and open areas that are essential for successful foraging.

Photographing Snail Kites is challenging. Most importantly, a long lens is necessary to avoid disturbing and stressing the birds. Strict rules protect them in South Florida, rules which need to be adhered to, especially during nesting season.

These birds are best observed by walking along lake edges or heading out in a boat. Two of the images presented with this article were taken from a busy walkway in a suburban area of Lakeland, Florida. Typically, they fly with flattened wings, their head down scanning the water and vegetation looking for Apple Snails. I’ve not found this pose to create the most engaging images, especially in flat or harsh lighting. The key to a great Snail Kite image is to photograph them when the sun is low in the sky (sunrise and sunset) as the warm, soft light helps illuminate the beautiful ruby red eye of the male. Personally, if I am unable to show that red eye, the image usually ends up being deleted. That gorgeous eye reminds me of Dorothy’s ruby red shoes in the Land of Oz!

While occasionally consumed on the wing, most often the Snail Kite will find a convenient perch to enjoy its meal.

Capturing the upper-wing view of these raptors is the ultimate prize for Gail. This image caught the judges’ attention in the Birds in Flight category of this year’s competition and made the shortlist.

When you spot a Snail Kite foraging, like most forms of wildlife photography, avoid the instant impulse to pick up the camera and start firing away. Invest some time in observation and learn the pattern and behaviour that occurs. Once you get a feel for how they fly and behave, then it is time to grab the camera, lock onto the kite, follow it and be ready for the quick, smooth turns. The action is unpredictable and fast, requiring a minimum shutter speed of 1/2,500 second. Kites typically glide downwind while foraging. Anticipating the kite turning into the wind as it drops down to the water to pick up the snail that it has spotted will help you obtain the best images, and may even give you the opportunity to capture the topside view of this wonderful raptor. Once the snail is picked up by the foot, it is usually transferred to the bird’s beak and they fly to a perch to eat it. Occasionally, the snail will be consumed while the kite is in flight.

Mating is just one of the many behaviours that can be captured given time and patience.

There are many great behaviours to anticipate. Kites love to squabble amongst themselves and other waders presenting many and varied opportunities for capturing action-packed images. It takes patience, a little luck and a lot of frames to get the shot. That is what makes this raptor so much fun to photograph.

Gail is a newly retired family physician who now lives the dream. She travels extensively photographing birds and wildlife. She lives in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia with husband Elwood, who thankfully pays the bills and encourages her wanderings.

Having almost failed an ornithology course at university, she swore off birds until a chance encounter with a lilac-breasted roller in Tanzania in 2011. Struck by how beautiful the bird was, she took many pictures with her point and shoot. Those pictures turned out to be her favorite images of the safari and upon her return to Canada, she bought her first DSLR.

Guest User9 May 2020Comment