Snail Kite
Snail Kite has collapsed: down 91% on the route-weighted index since 1978.
About the Snail Kite
The Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is a North American member of the Hawks, Eagles & Kites (Accipitridae). In this analysis it is grouped with the birds of prey.
- Size
- 17.5–39.5 in long (45–100 cm) — a medium to large raptor (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Open country, woodlands, cliffs and wetlands, hunting from the air or a high perch.
- Diet
- Live prey — small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and large insects (carrion for vultures).
- Range
- Recorded on 9 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 1 state, most concentrated in the Peninsular Florida.
- Family
- Accipitridae · Birds of prey
Notable Snail Kite Trends
No notable trend signals for Snail Kite. See the full index history below.
Snail Kite Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Snail Kite is projected to stay roughly flat through 2027, near 0.00 (95% range 0.00–0.01). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±465.1%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2024 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2025 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2026 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2027 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
Where the Snail Kite Is Detected
BBS routes recording Snail Kite, sized by most recent count.
Snail Kite Population Trend by State
| Florida | -94% | 1978 | 9 |
Snail Kite Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Peninsular Florida | -94% | 1978 | 9 |
Snail Kite Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 91% since 1978.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.