Slender-billed Kite

The Slender-billed Kite occurs in eastern Ecuador, where it inhabits flooded lowland forests, swampy clearings, and riparian wetlands below 500 meters, favoring areas rich in aquatic snails. Though generally uncommon and elusive, it is locally present in suitable habitat, often seen perched low or gliding silently over waterlogged terrain. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a broad Amazonian range and a large global population, though its numbers are suspected to be slowly declining due to deforestation and wetland degradation. Natural history observations highlight its specialized diet of freshwater snails, which it extracts with its slender, hooked bill, and its secretive nesting behavior in concealed forest sites near water.