AVITOPIA - Limpkins

The family of Limpkins, which includes only one species, occurs from Florida over the Caribbean to Argentina. They grow about 70 cm long. They have broad round wings and a broad tail. Legs and toes are long with sharp claws. The beak is compressed on the side and bent slightly downwards. They live in swamps, because their main food is water snails of the genus Pomacea. They are solitary and mostly active at dusk or at night. The shallow nest is built from brushwood near the water, too. The eggs are incubated by both parents, and both adult birds also take care of the nidifugous chicks.