Silhouette: Sharon Wegner-Larsen · PhyloPic

Snail Kite

Rostrhamus sociabilis

Silhouette: Sharon Wegner-Larsen · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
GenusRostrhamus
SpeciesRostrhamus sociabilis (Snail Kite)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Tenorio Volcano National Park

2 Verified sightings at Tenorio Volcano National Park From 2019 to 2026

9,411 Verified sightings across all 55 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Snail Kite

The snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is a bird of prey within the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. Its relative, the slender-billed kite, is now again placed in Helicolestes, making the genus Rostrhamus monotypic. Usually, it is placed in the Milvine kites, but the validity of that grouping is under investigation.

Lerner and Mindell (2005) found R. sociabilis sister to Geranospiza caerulescens, and that those two along with Ictinea plumbea were basal to both the Buteogallus and Buteo clades. They concluded that Rostrhamus belonged in Buteoninae (sensu stricto) and not in Milvinae, but noted that more investigation was needed.

The snail kite breeds in tropical South America, the Caribbean, and central and southern Florida in the United States. It is resident all-year round in most of its range, but the southernmost population migrates north in winter and the Caribbean birds disperse widely outside the breeding season.

Snail kites are 36 to 48 cm (14 to 19 in) long with a 99–120 cm (39–47 in) wingspan. They weigh from 300 to 570 g (11 to 20 oz). There is very limited sexual dimorphism... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Tenorio Volcano National Park

Buteo nitidus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Leucopternis albicollis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Elanoides forficatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Spizaetus ornatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Parabuteo unicinctus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Buteo platypterus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Buteo brachyurus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Leucopternis princeps

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Buteogallus urubitinga

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Harpagus bidentatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Rupornis magnirostris

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Elanus leucurus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~70%
2	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~30%
3	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
4	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~30%
5	Noel Kempff Mercado National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~20%
6	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
7	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
8	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
9	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
10	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
11	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
12	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
13	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
14	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
15	El Palmar National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
16	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
17	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
18	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
19	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
20	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
21	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
22	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
23	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
24	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
25	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
26	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
27	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
28	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
29	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
30	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
31	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	<5%
32	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
33	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
34	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
35	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	<5%
36	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
37	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
38	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
39	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
40	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
41	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
42	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
43	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
44	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
45	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
46	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	Insufficient data
47	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	Insufficient data
48	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	Insufficient data
49	Podocarpus National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Insufficient data
50	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
51	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
52	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
53	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	Insufficient data
54	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
55	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

← Back to Tenorio Volcano National Park

Snail Kite

About the Snail Kite

Recent sightings of Snail Kite in Tenorio Volcano National Park

Closest Relatives at Tenorio Volcano National Park

Gray-lined Hawk

White Hawk

American Swallow-tailed Kite

Ornate Hawk-Eagle

Harris' Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk

Short-tailed Hawk

Barred Hawk

Great Black-Hawk

Double-toothed Kite

Roadside Hawk

White-tailed Kite

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found