Fauna Of Mexico Part 6

You might have heard of Mexico's amazing
wildlife. The jaguars, axolotls, and maragays
are all rare and amazing sights to see. But
they're just the beginning; you could go for
years and never run out of animals to see. Here
are some other birds and reptiles to look for in
the corners of the country.

Snail Kite

What's a Snail Kite? Well, it's not a
high-flying mollusk; a good hunter, it's a
predatory bird that breeds in South America and
the Caribbean. Snail Kites are about 18 inches
long, with an impressive 47-inch wingspan. Males
have blue-gray plumage, and females are brown
with pale underparts. These Kites feed mainly on
apple snails, and they're often spotted flying
slowly with their eyes trains on the ground,
looking for the next mouthful. They've also
hunted crayfish along the coast of Florida,
where there's a small population in the southern
part of the state.

Socorro Dove

The Socorro Dove was endemic to the small
Revillagigedo and Socorro Islands, off the west
coast of Mexico. However, it is now extinct in
the wild; a reintroduction and breeding program
is currently being worked on, but there are
under 200 of the birds in captivity. A large
bird, the Socorro Dove is approximately two feet
long; males are a deep cinnamon color, with
darker feathers along its wings; females are
slightly duller in hue. It's thought that the
Socorro Doves were hunted to near extinction by
feral cats, as well as had their habitats
over-grazed by island sheep. When they were last
seen on the islands (roughly in 1953), the doves
had very few predators; the doves unfortunately
did not know to be afraid of the Sheep and cats
that were introduced to the region. With time
and help it's hoped that the population will
recover, because fortunately, there have been
successful attempts at captive breeding.

Rosy Boa

The Rosy Boa is native to Baja California and
Sonora in Mexico, and some parts of the American
Southwest. It can grow to be about 39 inches
long, with a pink-orange coloration on their
bellies and long stripes down their backs.
Maroon, brown, black, orange, yellow, or gray
can make up the color of these stripes. The Rosy
Boa will spend most of its time living beneath
rocks, in order to escape from predators. They
are most active during the spring, summer, and
fall; they mostly eat pack rats, deer mice, and
baby rabbits when they forage for small mammals.
But Rosy Boas are one of the slowest snake
species in the world; they wait to ambush a meal
rather than pursue it. However, when something
tasty does come within range, they can strike
with speed and accuracy. Rosy Boas are very
docile; if they sense danger, they'll usually
roll into a ball. They are nonvenomous, and not
prone to biting; they are known to be very good
pets.


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