Listen to the Snail kite
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the Snail kite
The Snail kite is a bird in the family Accipitridae (order Accipitriformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults have a wingspan of about 107 cm and weigh around 394 g.
What does the Snail kite sound like?
Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once. Songs tend to be long and patterned and are used to hold territory and attract a mate; calls are short signals for contact, alarm and flight.
From Wikipedia
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.
More from the family Accipitridae
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Eurasian sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
Eurasian goshawk
Astur gentilis
Black kite
Milvus migrans
Common buzzard
Buteo buteo
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Eurasian griffon vulture
Gyps fulvus
Red kite
Milvus milvus
Hen harrier
Circus cyaneus
Short-toed snake eagle
Circaetus gallicus
Booted eagle
Hieraaetus pennatus
Bonelli's eagle
Aquila fasciata
Frequently asked questions
What does a Snail kite sound like?
You can hear 2 recordings of the Snail kite on this page. Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once.
Is the Snail kite endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Snail kite as “least concern”.
What family does the Snail kite belong to?
The Snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) belongs to the family Accipitridae in the order Accipitriformes.
Sources & credits
- Rostrhamus sociabilis - Snail Kite by Niels Krabbe – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Rostrhamus sociabilis - Snail Kite by Niels Krabbe – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q839657 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Snail kite – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by https://www.flickr.com/photos/dariosanches/ – CC BY-SA 2.0