Snail Kite

I have travelled to SW Florida each winter for over 20 years and have photographed birds in many locations. I thought I was familiar with a wide array of the birds that winter in this part of the state, but to my surprise I learned of a new birding location where I had the possibility of viewing a bird I had never seen. The new site and the bird both proved to be exceptional. The site is known as Harms Marsh and is about 3 mile east of Fort Myers. Shown in these photos is a Snail Kite. In one photo, you see the Snail Kite dining on his favorite meal, snails. A bird of tropical marshlands, the Snail Kite makes it to the United States only in southern Florida. This specialized hawk feeds primarily on snails. This beautiful bird is listed as a Federal and State endangered species because of its small population in the United States and its extreme habitat specialization. Widespread and common in Latin America.