Before my recent trip to Florida I had never seen (or even heard of) a Limpkin, but now I need to add it to my list of favorite birds. At Myakka River State Park I had the opportunity to observe multiple individuals of this species as they searched for food in shallow water and taught foraging skills to their chicks.

This chick stays close and pays attention as the parent demonstrates foraging techniques:

Limpkin and chickAdult Limpkin forages for food for its chick, Myakka River State Park, Florida

The Limpkin inhabits freshwater wetlands and marshes and feeds primarily on apple snails.  Studies have shown that its long bill often curves slightly to the right – as does the shell of the apple snail. Nature never ceases to amaze me!

Limpkin and chickLimpkin chick stays close and pays attention to fishing lesson, Myakka River, Florida A secondary food source is freshwater mussels as pictured below.

Limpkin, Myakka River, FloridaLimpkin finds a mussel in the Myakka River