Snail kite eating a snail, Letcia, Colombia

The snail kite is a bird of prey within the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. Its relative, the slender-billed kite, is now again placed in "Helicolestes", making the genus "Rostrhamus" monotypic. Usually, it is placed in the milvine kites, but the validity of that grouping is under investigation.