Animalia Life

Chondrohierax uncinatus
SUBFAMILY
Accipitrinae
TAXONOMY
Falco uncinatus Temminck, 1822, Brazil. Three subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Milan bec-en-croc; German: Langschnabelweih; Spanish: Milano Picogarfio.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
15–16.5 in (38–42 cm); male about 8.8 oz (250 g); female 9–12.7 oz (255–360 g). Large hooked bill with green and yellow cere. Extreme variation in plumage, with males typically bluish gray.
DISTRIBUTION
C.c. uncinatus: western Mexico and extreme southern United States, southwards to northern Argentina. C.c. wilsonii: eastern Cuba.
HABITAT
Lower canopy and dense understorey of rainforest, seasonally flooded forest and montane tall forest. Also low forest on Grenada and acacia thorn-scrub in Mexico, forest edge and clearings.
BEHAVIOR
Apparently sedentary. Unobtrusive, most often seen as it soars over forest.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds mainly on tree snails in the understorey. Occasionally takes lizards, frogs, salamanders, freshwater crabs, slugs, and insects. Hops about in the canopy or glides down from a perch to snatch prey.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Monogamous. Builds a rather small, flimsy nest of sticks high, and often precariously, in the canopy. Lays one or two eggs in late dry season. Chicks fledge in the rainy season to take advantage of the plentiful tree snails.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not yet considered globally threatened. Continental subspecies C. u. uncinatus is widespread and generally uncommon. Cuban subspecies (which has yellow bill), now confined to eastern Cuba, is Critically Endangered and on the verge of extinction due mainly to habitat destruction by logging; some persecution because of mistaken belief that it preys on poultry; harvesting of snails has also depleted its prey. Grenadan subspecies C. u. mirus is also Endangered because of habitat loss and introduced snails, thought to be too large for the kite to prey on, which feed on the native snail. Recommendations for conservation action include protection by law, protection of remaining
HABITAT
, public awareness campaigns to reduce persecution and protection of snails on which the species preys.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.

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