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Movement

Movement is an important, and often overlooked aspect of the ecology of our wildlife. Movement influences both the survival and reproduction of many species. For Snail Kites, who live in an often unpredictable environment, movement is the key to persistence.

photo: courtesy of SFWMD

Florida, like many tropical environments has a distinct rainy season and a dry season. Anyone who has spent time in Florida also knows that the amount of rainfall can vary considerably among years and locations. As a result, a virtual certainty of about any habitat used by Snail Kites is that at some point in time it will go dry. Periodic drying is essential for maintaining the plant communities that are used by Snail Kites for foraging and nesting, but during the times that they are dry, apple snails may be unavailable. However, because Snail Kites are capable of widespread movement, they can usually find suitable places in other parts of the state. This of course assumes that we have protected enough area for them to find suitable habitat.

We have learned much about the movement of Snail Kites through the use of radio telemetry. From 1992 through 1995 the movements of nearly 300 Snail Kites were monitored. Although some individuals will remain in a particular wetland for long periods of time, on average kites move to a new wetland about every 3 months.

The lines to the left give an indication of just some of the movements of adult Snail Kites during one year. It is easy to see from this pattern, why Snail Kites are often considered "nomadic", or wanderers.