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Limpkin

Silhouette LimpkinsLimpkins
LimpkinAramus guarauna
  • ORDER: Gruiformes
  • FAMILY: Aramidae

Basic Description

The gangly, brown-and-white Limpkin looks a bit like a giant rail or perhaps a young night-heron. Its long bill is bent and twisted at the tip, an adaptation for removing snails from the shell. Limpkins are tropical wetland birds whose range reaches into Florida. They specialize in eating apple snails, which they hunt both day and night, and they often leave telltale piles of snail shells at the edges of freshwater wetlands where hunting is good. This bird’s haunting cries, heard mostly at night, are otherworldly and unforgettable.

More ID Info
image of range map for Limpkin
Year-roundBreedingMigrationNonbreeding
Range map provided by Birds of the World
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Find This Bird

An early morning outing to a freshwater wetland in Florida will beat the heat and provide opportunities to see Limpkins foraging before human activities get going. Bring insect repellent, water, sunblock, and hat to enjoy this bird in its subtropical lowland environment.

Other Names

  • Carrao (Spanish)
  • Courlan brun (French)
  • Cool Facts