Limpkin - Ross Feldner This large wading bird lives mostly in wetland Florida and Georgia. It takes its name from its seeming limp when it walks. Limpkins feed mainly on snails, particularly apple snails and have a specialized bill that is is slightly open near the end, which gives it a tweezers-like ability to remove snails from their shells. The bill also curves slightly to the right matching the shell of the apple snail! They're known for their piercing, eerie wail usually heard at night. The Limpkin is considered closely related to rails and cranes even though it resembles an ibis or heron. Like many wading birds, Limpkins were hunted to the brink of extinction during the early 20th century. Currrent threats to the limpkin population include the decline of their primary prey, apple snails, habitat destruction, pollution, and wetland drainage. | |
