Limpkin

 

September 18th

          Mike played golf this morning and arrived home about 12:30pm.  We both noticed that a Limpkin which was originally spotted near Massillon, Ohio on September 12th had been relocated this morning and was being seen by numerous birders.  We ate a quick lunch and decided to chase the bird.  Massillon is near Canton and is about a 2 hour and 45-minute drive from home.

          We arrived at the spot and saw two birders who were looking at the Limpkin which was feeding in a culvert along the side of the road.  We got great looks at the bird which was an Ohio lifer for us.  Normally, in the United States, a Limpkin is only found in Florida and is very rare in Ohio.  They can also be found in the Caribbean and in Central and South America.   

          A Limpkin is a gangly brown-and-white bird that looks like a heron or ibis but is actually more closely related to rails and cranes.  The Limpkin got its name because it appears to limp when it walks.  It has a long bill that is bent and twisted at the tip, which is an adaptation for removing snails from the shell.  Their diet consists of apple snails and freshwater mussels.  The Limpkin is known as the “wailing bird” due to its loud mournful call heard mostly at night

(1 new species, total for the year 293)

Limpkin (very rare)

                                           Limpkin





 

           

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