Snail Kite -- Food Specialist

Food specialization commonly limits habitat. For example, though the Snail Kite lives throughout Central and South America, its range in North America is limited to southern Florida by its extreme preference for the apple snail. In North America the Snail Kite can live only in the Florida marshes where the apple snail is found. The Snail Kite lives only in areas where the apple snail is found. The long hook on its beak helps to extract the snail from its broken shell.