Limpkin

The Limpkin (Aramus guarauna), also called carrao, courlan, and crying bird, is a bird that looks like a large rail but is skeletally closer to cranes. It is the only extant species in the genus Aramus and the family Aramidae. It is found mostly in wetlands in warm parts of the Americas, from Florida to northern Argentina. It feeds on molluscs, with the diet dominated by apple snails of the genus Pomacea. Its name derives from its seeming limp when it walks.

18 thoughts on “Limpkin”

shoreacres on February 6, 2018 at 6:50 am said:

What an interesting bird. I was intrigued that it can get to the apple snail it likes to eat without breaking the shell. Clever bird!

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- avian101 on February 6, 2018 at 12:50 pm said:
  
  They have tremendous skills with their long beak. Thanks Linda. 🙂
  
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Jet Eliot on February 6, 2018 at 10:13 am said:

It is always a great treat to see limpkins. It is lucky to find them in Florida, for they are virtually nowhere else in the U.S. I spent hours once, in Mexico, searching for a limpkin; we found it and it was fantastic. Their diet of apple snails has its limitations. Great photos, HJ.

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- avian101 on February 6, 2018 at 12:59 pm said:
  
  One of the things I’ve learned by photographing birds is being patient and training your eyes to movement. If the conditions of the location are optimum for birds, it means that birds found it before you did and they should be around somewhere. The apple snails are huge! Thanks my friend! 🙂
  
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susanpoozan on February 6, 2018 at 11:55 am said:

Love your photographs, an interesting bird.

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- avian101 on February 6, 2018 at 1:01 pm said:
  
  Thanks Susan! 🙂
  
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svtakeiteasy on February 6, 2018 at 3:01 pm said:

What an intriguing bird! Nice shots HJ.

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- avian101 on February 6, 2018 at 4:01 pm said:
  
  I don’t think you have Limpkins in Australia. Thank you Chris. 🙂
  
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  - svtakeiteasy on February 6, 2018 at 4:24 pm said:
    
    No we don’t.
Lisa Rest on February 6, 2018 at 5:13 pm said:

My what a lovely limpkin. I haven’t seen them too often but they are always fascinating. Great pix. 🙂

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- avian101 on February 6, 2018 at 6:05 pm said:
  
  Thank you Lisa. 🙂
  
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Clare Pooley on February 6, 2018 at 6:07 pm said:

What an interesting bird! I love it’s large bill.

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- avian101 on February 6, 2018 at 6:23 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much Clare! 🙂
  
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  - Clare Pooley on February 6, 2018 at 7:42 pm said:
    
    🙂
tanjabrittonwriter on February 7, 2018 at 9:59 am said:

Beautiful photos, H.J. of a bird and a habitat I do not know (yet).
Best wishes,
Tanja

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- avian101 on February 7, 2018 at 2:26 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much Tanja. 🙂
  
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bayphotosbydonna on February 10, 2018 at 9:23 am said:

Beautiful captures of the Limpkin, HJ! I remember seeing these for the first time in Florida and was so excited to get some nice photos. 🙂

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- avian101 on February 10, 2018 at 11:10 am said:
  
  The very first time I saw this bird in Florida I was looking at a bird at the distance and I did not know what bird it was, but, I shot some pictures anyway! Later, looking at the pictures I found out it was a Simpkin, then my new “lifer”. Thank you for sharing Donna. 🙂
  
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