Birdfinding.info ⇒ Both forms of Limpkin are common, widespread, and increasing in various types of wetlands—largely but not entirely tied to the presence of Pomacea snails. The “Speckled Limpkin” is common in Florida, Cuba, Puerto Rico, eastern Mexico, and Central America; uncommon and local in western Mexico, the northern Bahamas, Jamaica, and Hispaniola; and apparently colonizing the coastal plain of southeastern Texas and southern Louisiana. The “Brown-backed Limpkin” is common across most of South America’s tropical and subtropical lowlands, as well as Trinidad and west to central Panama. The two forms’ ranges appear likely to overlap in western Panama, which in turn seems likely to clarify their status as separate species or superficially distinct forms of one species.
Limpkin
Aramus guarauna
Humid lowlands from the southeastern U.S. to Argentina.
Comprises two distinct forms:
“Speckled Limpkin” (pictus plus elucus and dolosus), of the southeastern U.S., the Greater Antilles, Mexico, and Central America south to western Panama; and
“Brown-backed Limpkin” (guarauna), of South America, Trinidad, and central and eastern Panama.
Approximate distribution of the Limpkin, both “Speckled” and “Brown-backed” forms. © BirdLife International 2016
The “Speckled Limpkin” is resident in the southeastern U.S. from southeastern Texas to Florida, the northern and central Bahamas, Cuba, the Isle of Youth, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the mainland of Middle America. On the Pacific slope it occurs from Nayarit to Chiriquí; on the Caribbean slope from northern Veracruz to Bocas del Toro; and locally or sporadically in interior valleys from Jalisco to Costa Rica.
Since the early 2000s, its range has expanded dramatically to the north and west, as its U.S. range was traditionally limited to Florida and southernmost Georgia, and its range along Mexico’s Pacific coast traditionally ended around the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. At the same time, it has less dramatically extended its range southward in the Pacific lowlands to southern Costa Rica and into Panama (where it seems likely to overlap with the “Brown-backed Limpkin” at some point in the 2020s).
In conjunction with its range expansion, dispersing wanderers have been found increasingly often and farther north and west—a trend that seems likely to continue. As of 2022, it has been recorded northwest to northern Sinaloa and nearly throughout the eastern U.S.: on the Great Plains north to Nebraska; in the Great Lakes north to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and western New York; and on the Atlantic Seaboard north to Maryland.
Brazilian records of the “Brown-backed Limpkin”, by municipality. © WikiAves 2022
The “Brown-backed Limpkin” is resident in lowlands from central Panama (Herrera) south along the Pacific slope to southwestern Ecuador (El Oro), and east through the Caribbean lowlands—including the intermontane valleys of Colombia—and generally throughout northern and eastern South America, south to central Argentina: to Mendoza, northern La Pampa, and southern Buenos Aires Province. Also resident on Trinidad.
Like its northern counterpart, the “Brown-backed Limpkin” has been expanding its range into many areas where it was formerly unreported, and wanderers have been found increasingly often and farther from its traditional range. It has been expanding westward in the Pacific lowlands of Panama (where it seems likely to overlap with the “Speckled Limpkin” at some point in the 2020s), southward along the Pacific coast (recorded in Piura, Peru), and in many parts of the South American interior where it was traditionally unrecorded.
Vagrants have been recorded on Aruba, in the Andean highlands of southern Peru and northern Bolivia, in central Chile, and south to Argentine Patagonia (to Santa Cruz).
Identification
Distinctive: a medium-large, long-necked, long-legged, brown, ibis-like wetland bird with a habitually hunched posture. The two forms are similar, but readily distinguished from one another by the extent of streaking on the head, neck, body, and wings.
“Speckled Limpkin”, A. g. pictus, showing exceptionally dense white streaking. (Winding Waters Natural Area, West Palm Beach, Florida; November 2, 2018.) © Charles Lyon
The bill is long, fairly thick, and slightly decurved, usually orangish or yellowish toward the base and blackish toward the tip.
The “Speckled Limpkin” of North and Middle America is heavily streaked throughout the head and neck. The body plumage is brown overall and heavily streaked with bold white arrowheads on the breast, back, and wings.
“Brown-backed Limpkin”, A. g. guarauna, showing minimal white streaking on generally brown plumage. (Tramandaí, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; June 25, 2011.) © Paulo Fenalti
The “Brown-backed Limpkin” of South America, Trinidad, and Panama is brown overall, but heavily streaked with white on the head and neck—although the crown and underside of the neck are solid brown. The body plumage is almost entirely brown, except that the white neck streaks often extend onto the mantle.
“Speckled Limpkin”, A. g. dolosus, showing only sparse white streaking on the upperparts. (Laguna Cobá, Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico; December 9, 2017.) © Charles Hundertmark
“Brown-backed Limpkin”, A. g. guarauna, showing maximum extent of streaking on the mantle. (Londrina, Paraná, Brazil; May 7, 2016.) © Luiz Bravo
When seen in flight, “Speckled’s” wings are mostly brown with white streaking on the coverts—both uppersides and undersides.
“Speckled Limpkin”, A. g. pictus, dorsal view showing white streaks on the upperwing coverts. (Heritage Park, Olathe, Kansas; November 15, 2022.) © George Chiu
“Brown-backed Limpkin”, A. g. guarauna, dorsal view in flight, showing all-brown upperparts. (Mostardas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; November 28, 2012.) © Marco Cruz
When seen in flight, “Brown-backed’s” wings are mostly brown, with limited white streaking on the underwing-linings.
“Speckled Limpkin”, A. g. pictus, dorsal view showing white streaks on the underwing coverts. (Heritage Park, Olathe, Kansas; November 15, 2022.) © George Chiu
“Brown-backed Limpkin”, A. g. guarauna, ventral view in flight, showing sparse white streaks on the wing linings. (Serra, Espírito Santo, Brazil; August 24, 2014.) © Marcelo Müller
Notes
Polytypic species consisting of four recognized subspecies, divided into two distinct forms: the “Speckled Limpkin” (pictus plus elucus and dolosus) and the “Brown-backed Limpkin” (guarauna).
More Images of the Limpkin
“Speckled Limpkin”, A. g. pictus. (Kissimmee, Florida; August 23, 2022.) Anonymous eBirder
“Speckled Limpkin”, A. g. pictus, juvenile following adult holding a Pomacea snail—note the juvenile’s short bill. (Kissimmee, Florida; May 20, 2022.) © Cesar Ponce
“Speckled Limpkin”, A. g. pictus. (Walking Trail Woodland, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Ohio; December 12, 2019.) © Brad Imhoff
“Speckled Limpkin”, A. g. pictus. (Walking Trail Woodland, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Ohio; December 12, 2019.) © Brad Imhoff
“Brown-backed Limpkin”, A. g. guarauna. (Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; May 24, 2017.) © Caio Belleza
References
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Sibley, D.A. 2014. The Sibley Guide to Birds (Second Edition). Alfred A. Knopf. New York.
van Perlo, B. 2009. A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil. Oxford University Press.
Wells, J.V., and A.C. Wells. 2017. Birds of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. Cornell University Press.
Wikiaves. 2022. Carão, https://www.wikiaves.com.br/wiki/carao. (Accessed December 20, 2022.)
Xeno-Canto. 2022. Limpkin – Aramus guarauna. https://xeno-canto.org/species/Aramus-guarauna. (Accessed December 20, 2022.)