Limpkin
Aramus guarauna
Also known as: Courlan, Crying Bird, Scolopaceous Courlan
About This Species
Search shallow freshwater marshes, swamp edges and slow rivers across Florida, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, where it wades in search of apple snails, its near-exclusive prey. A loud, wailing call — often given at dawn, dusk or through the night — is frequently heard well before the bird is seen. Early morning, when it is most actively foraging along open shorelines, offers the best combination of visibility and activity.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Keep at least 20 metres back from feeding or nesting birds, since wetland species are easily flushed from cover and disturbance can interrupt feeding on already patchy snail populations.
- In the United States it is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; protections elsewhere in its range vary by country, so do not assume a single rule applies throughout.
- Avoid entering marsh vegetation where nests may be hidden, and view instead from boardwalks, trails or a boat kept at a distance.
LCAvesGruiformesAramidae
Seasonal Activity
555,492 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Family
- Aramidae
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.