The Snail Kite- Is it Or Isn't it?

A dark gray raptor hovers above bright blue water with wings fully spread, clutching a large apple snail in its orange talons. The bird's hooked beak is pointed toward the snail, and a white patch is visible near the tail feathers. Water droplets fall from the shell as the bird flies over the wetlands.

Snail Kite – Photo Credit Audubon

Another Day in the Everglades

An airboat carrying several passengers travels across calm water in a marsh. The flat-bottomed boat, topped with a large rear fan and a small orange safety flag, moves through a channel bordered by tall grasses. Scattered aquatic plants float on the water's surface beneath an overcast sky. On one of my many trips to Florida, I was once again poking around the Everglades. I know most people think of it as a swamp, but I love the place. There are creatures there that I would never see anywhere else, and my camera is always busy.

On this particular day, I was on an airboat tour. I take airboat tours quite often, mainly because they’re a good way to get around. You’re not likely to step on an alligator, although they have been known to jump into the boats, and they allow you to see areas the average tourist would never reach on foot.

Some tours are great and others, not so much. I can’t blame the operators. They know their routes and they know when the animals are usually out and about, but they can’t make wildlife appear on command. Nature doesn’t work that way.

A Rare Visitor

A large flock of white pelicans skims low over a wetland marsh, flying above shallow water and tall reeds. A dense line of green trees stretches across the background beneath a pale blue sky with wispy clouds. Several pelicans are just lifting off from the water while others soar in formation, creating a dynamic wildlife scene. We were crossing a fairly open stretch of water and heading toward some tall reeds where the operator thought we might spot a few “gators.” To pass the time, he was filling us in on bits of Everglades lore.

Earlier, we’d watched a large flock of pelicans take off together, which was quite impressive. We’d also seen a few gators tucked away in the vegetation, but nothing cruising the open water.

Suddenly, the operator got very excited and started pointing at the sky. A dark bird of prey glides across a pale blue, lightly clouded sky with wings fully outstretched. The bird is silhouetted against the sky, showing long wings with spread primary feathers and a slightly fanned tail, centered in a wide expanse of open air.

In the distance, I could just make out a dark bird flying toward us. I knew it was well beyond the range of my camera, but I might never get another chance, so I started taking pictures anyway.

The operator kept shouting, “Snail kite! Snail kite!”

I didn’t see any snails or any kites, but I kept snapping away as the bird came closer.

Finally, it veered off, and I watched it disappear into the distance. The operator then told us how lucky we were to have seen such a rare bird.

A dark-and-light raptor in flight against a pale sky, viewed from the side. The bird's broad dark wings are fully extended, while the body, head, and upper wing coverts appear lighter gray. A hooked beak and long tail are visible as the bird glides through open air.

Photographed in the Everglades. The hooked bill, shape, and habitat make me wonder if this is a Snail Kite, but the lighting and distance make the ID tricky. What do you think?

Rediscovering an Old Photograph

Years passed.

As you know, I’ve been digging through my ancient photo archive, looking for pictures I might want to salvage, restore, or delete. Lo and behold, there were those old photos of that dark-colored bird.

A dark bird of prey glides across a pale evening sky with wings fully outstretched. The bird is silhouetted against the fading light, with a small patch of lighter color visible near the tail and a bright reflection at the eye. The image captures the bird in flight from a distance against an uncluttered background.

Just for fun, I tried enlarging and sharpening them. Photo-processing tools have improved dramatically over the years, and as the image cleared up, there it was.

Silhouette of a large bird in flight against a pale sky, wings fully extended in a shallow downward curve. The bird is viewed from the side with its head lowered and hooked beak visible, while long wings and a trailing tail create a dramatic profile against the softly lit background.

My snail kite.

Except it wasn’t.

The Great Misidentification

For all these years, I believed I had photographed this rare bird. I even watched a PBS wildlife special about snail kites, learning how they got their name from their diet of apple snails and how they’re threatened by habitat loss.

But now I’m not so sure.

The tour guide may have misidentified the bird. Then again, maybe he didn’t.

When I recently restored the old photos and enlarged them, I became convinced that the bird wasn’t a snail kite at all. At first glance, it appeared more likely to be a red-shouldered hawk. That seemed to settle the matter.

Then I started comparing my photograph with other images of red-shouldered hawks and found myself having second thoughts. The more photographs I looked at, the less certain I became.

Brown and white raptor perched on a broken wooden stump, facing the camera with its beak open. The bird has barred underparts, patterned wings, and yellow legs, with lush green foliage blurred in the background.

red shouldered hawk

So after all these years, the mystery remains unsolved. The bird may have been a snail kite. It may have been something else entirely. Unfortunately, the original photo was taken at extreme range under less-than-ideal conditions, and there simply isn’t enough detail for a definitive identification.

Still an Everglades Success

Whatever the bird was, I’m still glad I took the picture.

Considering the distance and conditions, the photo came out far better than I expected. More importantly, it preserved a memory from a day spent exploring one of my favorite places on Earth.

So I guess I can chalk this up as a semi-successful Everglades adventure.

After all, not every wildlife story ends with an answer. Sometimes the mystery is what keeps the story alive.