2/8/2112: Tale of a Snail and a Limpkin, Viera Wetlands FL

Limpkins are highly adapted feeders. They live almost exclusively on Apple Snails, which they find in muddy bottoms by feel of beak or feet, then carry to shallow water or the shore to eat. Adult Limpkins use the specially adapted scissor or tweezer-like end of the beak to cut the Apple Snail out of it shell, often in several bits, picking the inside of the shell clean. You find the clean, empty shells on shore wherever Limpkins have been feeding. They also eat a few other kinds of less abundant snails, some seeds, and the occasional small frog…but Apple Snails are what they are made to eat.

This Limpkin, at Viera Wetlans in Melbourne FL, was totally oblivious to me, standing maybe 15 feet up on the dyke, as it dispatched the Apple Snail…not a big Apple Snail by Florida standards. It took it about 5 minutes to get the snail out of its shell, and then it was gone in one glup (see the snippet of video). And then the Limpkin headed back toward deeper water and more snails.

 

 

Limpkin eating Apple Snail.

All shots with the Canon SX40HS at 650mm equivalent field of view. f5.8 @ 1/640th @ ISO 200. Program with iContrast and –1/3 EV exposure compensation. 

Processed in Lightroom for intensity, clarity, and sharpness. Video processed in Sony Vegas.

2 Comments

  1. Reply
    Out Walking the Dog February 8, 2012

    What a great post about a bird I knew little about. Love the video. Thanks for the insight!

  2. Reply
    Ed Dombrofski February 8, 2012

    Excellent photo but also the explanation is even better. I enjoy the bird in it’s habitat which tells the tale of life in the marsh. Thanks for sharing you knowledge of the bird.

    Ed

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