Chondrohierax uncinatus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The hook-billed kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus), is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles, and harriers. It occurs in the Americas, including the Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and tropical South America.
It is a mid-sized, slender raptor with a large hooked bill. There is extreme variation in bill size and plumage. Birds from beneath can look blackish or gray (especially males) and brown or brick-red (females) variously. This renders species identification at times extremely difficult. The downcurved hook at the tip of the beak is apparent on perched and low-flying birds. Weight can range from 215 to 397 g (7.6 to 14.0 oz) and length is 38–42 cm (15–16.5 in).
Tree snails (e.g. Bulimulus, Homolanyx, and Polymita) are a vital component of the hook-billed kite's diet. The density of their population within a region is proportional to the presence of tree snails. It has also been observed that the beak of the hook-billed kite has adapted in size and shape between different regions of their territory in response to the species... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belém | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | João Pessoa | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Guayaquil | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 4 | Fortaleza | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 5 | Maceió | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 6 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 7 | San José | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 8 | Caracas | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | |
| 9 | Panama City | 🇵🇦 Panama |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Hook-billed Kite sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, based on 73 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 374th most-seen of the 503 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Hook-billed Kite in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Hook-billed Kite sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
17th of 35
Of the 35 parks where we can rate Hook-billed Kite sightings, Arenal Volcano National Park ranks 17th at under 5%. The best odds are in Machalilla National Park (Ecuador, about 20%), San Lorenzo Protected Forest (Panama, about 10%) and Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, under 5%).
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the Hook-billed Kite that you can see in Arenal Volcano National Park (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are Gray-lined Hawk (about 20%), American Swallow-tailed Kite (about 20%) and White Hawk (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Hook-billed Kite is recorded against all the birds logged in Arenal Volcano National Park (73 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
