At one point there were only some 700 snail kites left in the world.But in the last decade or so, these dusky, red-eyed little raptors, found only in Florida, have made a comeback. Their rebound may have a surprising reason: the proliferation of an invasive exotic snail.Scientists began noticing the endangered kites, which normally ate native Florida apple snails, starting to dine on the much larger exotics.
Then, a groundbreaking study showed the birds were adapting rapidly to the snail invasion by evolving bigger bills to handle bigger mollusks.
But though evolution usually occurs over millennia, it took these birds mere generations. Researchers are still untangling the puzzle, but the good news is kites are an increasingly common sight. One good place to see them is the Big Cypress National Preserve, where they hunt over the wet prairies. One good entry is the the Nathanial P. Reed Visitor Center, 33000 Tamiami Trail East, Ochopee.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Evolution in action: Rare snail kites’ bills changing to deal with exotic prey
Reporting by Amy Bennett Williams, Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
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