The young are fed by both the mother and father which further diversifies the responsibility for feeding and raising the young meaning it takes less of a toll on one of the parent birds.Ĭourtship displays involve two birds flying in small circles diving at each other and calling to each other. The young typically stay in the nest for around 35 to 45 days and are known as semialtrical young, which means that they don’t move around very much after hatching and aren’t capable of fending for themselves for some time, as opposed to precocial young who are able to move around more readily after hatching. This also means that they share the burden of hunting for the snails the whole family will rely on for sustenance during this period. Interestingly, both the male and female will incubate the eggs also, meaning that they share the responsibility for guarding the nest and ensuring that the temperature of the eggs is well maintained and regulated. The nest is usually quite flimsy and features a simple platform raised on sticks, and is built by both sexes. Hook Billed Kites lay two or three eggs which are usually white with red-brown spots and markings. This makes them highly specialized and indicates the pressure that a reliance on one primary food source can have on a species, as their physiology develops in accordance with the primary food source they rely upon. Scientists have discovered that the bills of these species and their signature hook are actually adapted to a specific region, and the size and shape of their bills and its hook can vary quite widely to better prey upon the tree snails of a particular geographical area. Generally these birds are thought of as relatively relaxed, even sluggish tropical raptors which primarily feed on slugs and other insects that they are able to pick off quite easily and with little risk. Generally these birds don’t have a reputation for being overly aggressive, particularly when compared to the more notorious species in their family. Younger birds will usually be a paler color and have thinner banding and lines on their chest and belly. Males will often have white barring on the chest and belly, while females will have grey heads. However relying on color alone isn’t enough as these colarations can vary quite widely as mentioned previously. Generally the key distinction between males and females in this species is that the males tend to be black or grey more often, while the females tend to be brown or red, which means spotting a mating pair or distinguishing the sexes can be fairly easy. The bill of these birds will often have yellow coloration on its underside, and these birds also have yellow feet. Of course, another signature of this species is the hooked bill that their name is taken from. There can also be a sizable difference in the size of the bird bill among various members of this species.Īs a rule of thumb however, many Hook Billed Kites will be blackish or gray, through to brown or red depending on various characteristics such as sex and the local environment. One thing that can make identification difficult is the fact that these birds have a fairly wide array of colors, possibly one of the widest variations among diurnal raptor species, which means that relying on color for identification isn’t a great idea. The bird is quite slender and has some easily recognizable features including a striped chest and belly, as well as a banded tail. The Hook Billed Kite is a relatively large bird, falling somewhere between the largest birds of prey and the smallest, and is considered a mid-sized bird of prey among most scientists and observers. Which leads us neatly onto the first and most important feature of this bird, its appearance. This should in turn give you the opportunity to spot one of these beautiful birds for yourself if you’re lucky enough to get the chance. These birds are known for their predatory behavior, large size and speed, however there are many differences between the different species within this family, and in this guide we’re going to help break down some detail about the Hook Billed Kite in particular, to help you better understand its appearance and behaviour. The hook billed kite is a member of the Accipitridae family, which has many birds of prey within its umbrella such as hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and some vultures also. However there are birds of prey in various climates, and one of the most interesting is the Hook Billed Kite, which has fairly recently arrived in the southern US, mostly around southern Texas, having moved its range north out of Mexico and other central American countries.

White bellied kite bird