Kite is a type of bird that preys on small animals. There are about 20 species of kites. They live on all the continents and on the large islands in the southwestern Pacific. Kites have long, narrow wings and are graceful gliders. Four species live in the United States. They are found in the South and Southeast, especially in Florida.
The American swallow-tailed kite has a long, deeply forked tail. Its head and underparts are white and its back, wings, and tail are black. These kites are 22 to 25 inches (56 to 64 centimeters) long. The black-shouldered kite is mostly white. Adults have light gray on the back and wings and a large black patch on the shoulder. The adult Mississippi kite has a gray body with light gray on the head and underparts. Its tail and wing tips are blackish. The snail kite has broad wings, a white band at the base of the tail, and a slender, sharply hooked bill. The male has bluish-black feathers and red legs. The female and young have streaks of brown on their light-colored underparts and orange legs.
Most kites eat insects, frogs, lizards, snakes, and small mammals. But the snail kite eats only snails of the genus Pomacea.
