thumb|An adult Limpkin walks down the bank of Lake Cecile near Kissimmee, FL

The limpkin (Aramus guarauna), also called carrao, courlan, and crying bird, is a large wading bird related to rails and cranes, and the only extant species in the family Aramidae. It is found mostly in wetlands in warm parts of the Americas, from Florida to northern Argentina, but has been spotted as far north as Wisconsin and Southern Ontario. 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. including the establishment of new populations outside of Florida and southern Georgia. The reasons for this are unclear, although climate change is suggested as a likely cause.

Behavior and ecology

Limpkins are active during the day, but also forage at night. Where they are not persecuted, they are also very tame and approachable. and worms,

  • Limpkin Bird Sound at Florida Museum of Natural History