Dams fundamentally restructure river systems by altering flow regimes, sediment transport, and hydrologic connectivity, with cascading effects on riparian habitats and the species that depend on them. The Swallow‑tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus), a riparian forest raptor, is likely sensitive to such changes in habitat suitability and configuration due to their specialist nesting behavior. This study evaluates how dam construction along the Kissimmee River in southern Florida has influenced habitat composition and Swallow‑tailed Kite habitat use. Focusing on two dams (S65 and S65E), operational by 1970, I combined eBird observations from 1938–2024 with annual CONUS landcover data (reclassified into suitable (forests and wetlands) and unsuitable habitat based on NDLC codes). I quantified pre‑dam (20–10 years before) and post‑dam (10–20 years after) habitat suitability, kite density, and spatial patterns of change using an Albers equal‑area grid and a series of linear models.  The difference in habitat suitability map showed that suitable landcover remained concentrated in central portions of the study area across periods, but a distinct band of suitable habitat west of the dams declined following dam construction, suggesting changes in floodplain wetland systems adjacent to the dammed river system. Landcover‑use analyses indicate a shift away from permanent wetlands toward alternative landcover classes post‑dam, suggesting altered foraging or nesting environments. Swallow‑tailed Kite density exhibited a bimodal distribution before dam construction that collapsed afterward, reflecting the loss or fragmentation of high‑density patches. Change in suitable habitat was most negative closest to the dams and became less severe with distance.  Together, these results suggest that dam‑induced fragmentation and hydrologic alteration create spatially heterogeneous impacts that can change the functional value of remaining habitat for Swallow‑tailed Kites. Effective conservation will require managing dam operations to maintain hydrologic connectivity, protecting key riparian forest patches, and integrating higher‑resolution habitat and genetic data to assess population‑level responses.