Hook-billed Kite

Photo by Hedon
Arenillas, Ecuador, May, 2018

Includes Cuban Kite and Grenada Kite

Chondrohierax uncinatus

Identification

39–51 cm (15¼-20 in)
Light and dark morphs and confusing intermediates. One constant is transluscent, barred primaries.

Cuban birds have sexual dimorphism, male with gray upperside and barred underside, female similar in brownish colors. Juveniles black above, white below, with white extending to hindneck. Larger bill by far than other forms.

Immature
Photo by SueO
Fort Sherman, Panama, October 2011

Distribution

North, Central and South America.

In North America breeds only in extreme southern Texas along the Rio Grande between Falcon Dam and the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. Breeds throughout Mexico and south to Panama and in South America to from Colombia and Venezuela to western Peru, Bolivia and northern Argentina. Also breeds in the Caribbean in Oriente Province of eastern Cuba, on Grenada and Trinidad.

Resident.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Photo by mtbirder
El Tuito, Mexico, March 2014

There are three subspecies^[1]:

• C. u. uncinatus:

• Southern US and western Mexico to Brazil and northern Argentina

• C. u. uncinatus wilsonii: Cuban Kite:

• Eastern Cuba

• C. u. uncinatus mirus: Grenada Kite:

• Grenada (Lesser Antilles)

Both of these last two subspecies are considered to be full species by some authors^{[3], [4]} and both are critically endangered.

Two additional subspecies: aquilonis and megarhynchus are generally considered invalid^[2].

Habitat

Dark morph
Photo by Rodrigo Conte
Brasilia, Brazil, December 2015

Tropical rainforest and cloud forest, secondary-growth and riverine woodlands, swamps and savannas.

Behaviour

Perches high in trees and can be difficult to see. Not a shy bird.

Diet

Their main diet consists of snails; Cuban birds are also known to eat slugs.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Avibase
3. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved February 2016)
4. The Peregrine Fund
5. SCSCB.org

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Hook-billed Kite. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 18 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Hook-billed_Kite

External Links

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