Slender-billed Kite
A species of Formerly Included In Rostrhamus Scientific name : Helicolestes hamatus Genus : Formerly Included In Rostrhamus
Slender-billed Kite, A species of Formerly Included In Rostrhamus
Botanical name: Helicolestes hamatus
Genus: Formerly Included In Rostrhamus
Content
Description
Photo By Steve McInnis 
Description
Both genders resemble the male snail kite, and the slender-billed kite has often been included in the same genus, Rostrhamus. Adults always have yellow eyes and the all-dark tail is noticeably shorter than in the snail kite. Immatures resemble adults, but have brownish eyes and three (incl. tip) narrow white bands in the tail. 
Size
41 cm
Feeding Habits
Slender-billed Kite's diet primarily consists of aquatic snails and crabs. It exhibits specialized hunting techniques adapted to forage for these prey in wetland environments, demonstrating a unique feeding behavior among birds of prey.
Habitat
Slender-billed Kite can typically be found in diverse aquatic and forested environments within tropical regions. Its habitat includes the margins of flooded forests, such as those bordering shallow lagoons and drying floodplains, as well as rainforests and the peripheries of swampy woodlands. Slender-billed Kite is also known to inhabit areas of stagnant water like lagoons and may occupy wooded plantations. These birds have a penchant for lower altitudes, generally residing at elevations up to 750 meters. Additionally, they are sociable raptors, often seen soaring in small congregations.
Dite type
Carnivorous
Photo By Steve McInnis 
Scientific Classification
Download Picture Bird
Identify any bird by photo or sound in seconds
Identify any bird by photo or sound in seconds
