This subspecies of the Hook-billed Kite is listed as Endangered (EN) by the IUCN Red Data List due to its limited range and small population. Its threatened status is most likely due to loss of habitat which impacts availability of food and nesting sites, and human persecution due to confusion with the Broad-winged Hawk in the past. Currently, the species is protected in Grenada. The Peregrine Fund studied this little-known subspecies from 2000-2006 and found it coexists with people and tolerates some habitat modification as long as prey species and large trees remain intact, especially in the southern end of the island around St. Georges.

• Of 32 nesting attempts from 2000-2006, 18 young fledged from 16 successful nesting attempts with a total of 0.6 young fledged per breeding pair attempt. Prey availability may be associated with successful nesting attempts. Climatic conditions such as storms and hurricanes caused several nest failures that were recorded.
• The estimated population of Grenada Hook-billed Kites is 50-75 birds, which included 44 territorial birds documented from 2000-2006. Pairs defend territories which may be maintained year-round for the resources.

Range and Habitat Needs

• Grenada Hook-billed Kites use forested habitat where mature trees provide habitat for snails they feed on and nesting sites. They range throughout the island from the xeric and secondary forests in the south to the humid evergreen forests in the interior and higher elevations. They are an unobtrusive species on the island, but there is a higher density of them in the southern and western regions.
• No kites were observed on Carriacou during a one-week survey consisting of 36 hours of survey effort.

• One to two eggs are laid from June to September, young hatch from July to October, and young fledge from August to November. Both adults incubate and the incubation period is approximately 35 days. The adult male provides most of the food during the early nestling period, and later on the female will leave the nest to provision the young too. Young are still dependent on adults for food in November and December.

Interesting Facts

• This kite has a very specialized diet of predominantly arboreal snails (Drymaeus, Orthalicus, Bulimulus, Endolichotus) and some terrestrial snails (Pleurodonte). They extract the snail from the shell by holding it against a perch with one foot, and removing the dried membrane covering the aperture with their beak. The shell is then chipped to enlarge the aperture, and the upper mandible is inserted to progressively break the inner whorls of the shell with the tip of the bill, eventually freeing the snail, which is then swallowed whole.
• The Grenada Hook-billed Kite shows much less distinctiveness in both genetic and morphological characters relative to the mainland Hook-billed Kites, but does possess a unique mtDNA suggesting that it may have diverged from the mainland group fairly recently (20,000-190,000 years).

Threats and Conservation Measures

• The main threat is destruction of forested habitat and mature trees which provide habitat for arboreal snails and nesting sites for kites. Development for tourism and increasing population in the country threaten remaining forest in Grenada. There is some forest habit destruction with construction of individual homes. In the future habitat modification will likely occur with increased tourism. The only protected areas the kites occur in are where habitat has been protected for the Grenada Dove: Mt. Hartman and Perseverance.
• Grenada Hook-billed Kite is legally protected from hunting, but may suffer from human persecution and young boys using sling shots because the species is often confused with the more common Broad-winged Hawk which may take young chickens.
• The Peregrine Fund and Ministry of Forestry have been studying the species and there was monitoring of its population from 2000-2006. There has been no monitoring of the population or breeding attempts since December 2006. An education program by the Ministry of Forestry has worked to raise awareness about the endangered status of the kite, to teach people to identify it so that it is not confused with the Broad-winged Hawk, and to raise pride in this endemic subspecies. A poster, brochure, and conservation buttons were produced and distributed.
• Small population size makes this endemic kite vulnerable to disease and any climatic conditions that may negatively impact the forested habitat in Grenada, such as possible changes in forest cover from global warming and devastation of forests from hurricanes and storms (which are predicted to increase with global warming). Recent hurricanes appeared to impact the population and breeding attempts in 2005 post-hurricanes Ivan and Emily. Prior to the two hurricanes a high of 10 breeding attempts and 39 individuals were recorded. Many mature trees were stripped of leaves and branches, and some were uprooted. There was only one breeding attempt in 2005 with only 16 individuals recorded. The impact on the population and the kite's ability to breed, may have been due to a lack of food and available nesting sites post-hurricane, but by 2006 six breeding attempts were documented.

Where to Find More Information?  

Blockstein, D. E.  1988. Two endangered birds of Grenada, West Indies: Grenada Dove and Grenada Hook-billed Kite. Caribb. J. Sci. 24: 127–136.

Blockstein, D. E.  1991. Population decline of the endangered endemic birds of Grenada, West Indies.  Bird Cons. Int. 1: 83–91.

del Hoyo, J., A. Elliot, and J. Sargatal. 1994. Handbook of the birds of the world. Volume 2: New World vultures to guineafowl. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

Ferguson-Lees, J. and D. A. Christie. 2001. Raptors of the World. Christopher Helms, London, UK.

Global Raptor Information Network. 2008. Species account: Hook-billed Kite Chondrohierax uncinatus. Downloaded from http://www.globalraptors.org on 27 Feb. 2008.

Johnson, J., R. Thorstrom, and D. Mindell.  2007. Systematics and Conservation of the Hook-billed Kite including the island taxa from Cuba and Grenada.  Animal Cons. 10: 1–11.

Lack, D. and A. Lack.  1973.  Birds of Grenada. Ibis 115: 53–59.

Smith, T. B. and S. A. Temple.  1982.  Grenada Hook-billed Kites: recent status and life history notes.  Condor 84: 131.

Thorstrom, R., E. Massiah, and C. Hall.  2001.  Nesting biology, distribution, and population estimate of the Grenada Hook-billed Kite Chondrohierax uncinatus mirus.  Caribb. J. Sci. 37: 278–281.

Thorstrom, R., and D. McQueen.  In press.  Breeding and status of the Grenada Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus mirus).  Ornitologia Neotropical.

Wheeler, B. K., and W. S. Clark.  A photographic guide to North American Raptors.  Academic Press, London, U.K.

Grenada Hook-billed Kite Bird of the Month contributed by Russell Thorstrom

Photographs by Russell Thorstrom

Guidelines for writing up a Bird of the Month - please send in your contributions!

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