Nesting sites of Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) in Cuba

The Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is a raptor of conservation interest. Here we report on 15 nests of the species in a wetland in Cuba. Nest detection was conducted using 150 observation points. The number of eggs/chicks, height of the nest, and diameter of the tree at breast height were recorded. The closest distance to roads and towns was measured. Nests were located over a period of 7 months. Of the nests found, 67% contained eggs and/or chicks; 40% contained only eggs, 33% contained only chicks, and 20% contained both. Nests were built on shrubs in inland lagoons. The minimum distance between nests and nearest roads was 0.7 km and from the nearest village was 1.3 km. These results can be used as a tool for the management and conservation of the population in the wetland.