Birds Active during the day

Hook-billed Kite

Chondrohierax uncinatus

iNaturalist eBird Wikipedia

With its distinctively oversized bill and striking white eyes, the Hook-billed Kite is the ultimate specialist of the tropical canopy. A rare prize for birders in the U.S. and a fixture of the Latin American wilderness, this raptor is a master at navigating dense foliage to find its favorite meal: land snails.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Length 38-43 cm (15-17 in); Wingspan 80-95 cm (31-37 in); Weight 215-400 g (7.6-14.1 oz)

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Colors

Highly polymorphic; males are typically slate-gray with fine white barring below, while females are brown with a rufous collar. Both have distinctive yellow-green facial skin and a pale white iris.

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Key Features

Massive, deeply hooked bill
Broad, paddle-shaped wings with a 'pinched' base
White or pale iris
Yellow-green lores (facial skin)
Heavily barred underparts in most color morphs

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

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Season Year-round

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Diet A highly specialized snail hunter that uses its uniquely curved bill to hook land snails out of their shells. It occasionally supplements its diet with frogs, salamanders, and large insects.

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Habitat Tropical evergreen and deciduous forests, riparian woodlands, and dense thorn scrub, usually near water sources where land snails are abundant.

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Where Does the Hook-billed Kite Live?

This unique raptor is native to the Americas, stretching from the tropical reaches of South America up through Central America and Mexico. In the United States, its range is extremely limited, primarily found in the lush riparian corridors of the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. From the Caribbean islands of Grenada and Trinidad to the northern borders of Argentina, the Hook-billed Kite thrives in diverse tropical and subtropical landscapes where its specialized food sources are plentiful.

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11 Countries

16.5M km² Range

Least Concern Conservation

BR Brazil MX Mexico CO Colombia VE Venezuela PE Peru US United States AR Argentina GT Guatemala HN Honduras CR Costa Rica PA Panama

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iNaturalist / Verified observation data

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Behavior

The Hook-billed Kite is a specialized and somewhat enigmatic bird of prey. Unlike the swift, aerial displays of other kite species, this raptor is often described as methodical or even sluggish. It spends much of its time perched within the mid-to-upper canopy of tropical forests, moving quietly from branch to branch in search of its primary prey: land snails. Because of this sedentary lifestyle, they can be difficult to spot until they take flight, revealing their unusually shaped, broad wings.

Socially, they are usually found alone or in pairs. While they are not particularly aggressive toward humans, they are quite shy and will move deeper into the foliage if they feel watched. They are non-migratory in most of their range, though northern populations in Texas may show some local movement depending on snail availability and weather conditions. Their flight is distinctive, featuring slow, heavy wingbeats that make them look more like a crow or a large owl than a typical raptor.

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Camera Tips

Capturing a Hook-billed Kite on camera requires a strategic approach because they rarely descend to the ground. Your best chance for a clear shot is to mount your camera 10 to 20 feet high on a sturdy tree trunk, angled slightly downward toward a known 'snail anvil'—a specific branch or rock where the kite consistently brings snails to extract them from their shells. Look for piles of empty snail shells on the forest floor to identify these foraging hotspots.

Since these birds are diurnal, ensure your camera's trigger speed is set to its fastest setting to catch them as they land or depart. Using a camera with a high-resolution sensor is vital, as the kites often stay within the dappled light of the canopy, which can create challenging exposure conditions. Setting your camera to a higher ISO or using a wider aperture can help compensate for the low-light environment under the forest canopy.

While traditional birdseed doesn't work for these specialists, providing a consistent water source like a high-placed birdbath or a solar-powered dripper in a small clearing can entice them down from the high canopy. During the dry season, these water features become magnets for all tropical raptors. In South Texas, the best months for activity are late spring and early summer when they are feeding chicks and are most active in their search for prey.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Hook-billed Kite.

Gray Hawk

The Gray Hawk has a much smaller, standard raptor bill and dark eyes, unlike the Hook-billed Kite's massive hook and white iris.

Snail Kite

Snail Kites prefer open wetlands and eat aquatic snails; Hook-billed Kites live in dense forests and eat land snails.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Hook-billed Kites are most active during the mid-morning when the sun begins to warm the canopy, encouraging land snails to move. They also have a secondary activity peak in the late afternoon before they retreat to deep cover for the night.

If you live in their specific range (like the Rio Grande Valley), the best way to attract them is by maintaining native vegetation that supports land snail populations. Avoid using pesticides or snail bait, as these remove their primary food source and can poison the birds.

Their diet is almost exclusively land snails, particularly those from the genus Orthalicus. Their hooked bill is perfectly evolved to break the shell's seal and extract the meat. They occasionally supplement this with frogs and large insects.

They are rarely found in heavily developed suburban areas. However, they may visit 'wilder' backyards that border riparian corridors, forest edges, or dense tropical preserves where their specific habitat requirements are met.

While both can appear gray and barred, the Hook-billed Kite has much broader, more rounded wings and a massive, deeply hooked bill. The Hook-billed Kite also has a distinct white eye, whereas the Gray Hawk has a dark eye.

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