Tag Archives: limpkin sighting sc

Biridng Trips and Tours in SC, Out There with the Expert

It’s 2023- the Limpkins are still in South Carolina

By Sally Siko

Each spring, I make the return to a small suburban neighborhood in southeast SC to check on a family of Limpkins.
Why?
Well the Limpkins are technically a rare bird for SC and it’s unusual to be able to see a specific species which is way out of it’s normal range year after year in the same spot.
I think it’s pretty neat to be able to enjoy these elegant birds without having to travel several hundred miles south to see them!


But what keeps these Limpkins from moving on?
The answer is snails.
Apple snails to be precise.

The small drainage ponds in the neighborhood and the adjacent swampland are full of them.
Apple snails are the Limpkins favorite food and there’s plenty to go around so why leave?
In fact, the original pair of Limpkins have successfully nested here for four years.
Most of their offspring have moved on into other territories but apparently at least two have decided to stay in the area.


I was surprised and delighted to count four of them this past weekend during my visit.
They weren’t difficult to locate as all of them were calling loudly from the west pond to the swamp.
Luckily, I was able to photograph two of the birds without having to venture into the swamp (it’s alligator season).
I was surprised to see one of them in a tree on a small island.
Normally, I’ve only observed Limpkins foraging on the ground for snails so perhaps this bird was building a nest?
I’m thinking I’ll return next weekend to try to get a better look…
Aren’t they beautiful?

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5
Birdwatching News

The Limpkins are still hanging out in South Carolina

Happy to spot a pair of Limpkins this week in their usual spot while birding near Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet SC.
Although I only laid eyes on one of them, I could hear it’s mate calling out from the deeper woods. Freak’n awesome.
Alligator concerns aside, it was so much fun to walk through a cypress swamp to find these beautiful birds again!



Limpkins are freshwater foragers and are best found in wooded swamp areas which fits the description of this habitat perfectly.
Seeing these birds so far north was really interesting and I was able to watch the bird hunting for snails in the cypress swamp for quite a while.
They are picky eaters, choosing the perfect snails and then cracking the shells open on a rock to get at the soft meat inside.
No matter where they are found, Limpkins depend heavily on snail populations for feeding. As seen in these photos, they’ve got bills which are specialized for feeding on the snails, with a slight curve to the right near the tip to aid extracting snails from their shells, and a gap near the tip that facilitates grasping snail shells. 



This Limpkin and it’s mate are pretty far away from their normal home range which typically only extends north from South America into Florida. From what I’ve heard from local reports, this pair actually nested here this past summer and successfully raised a few chicks.
In fact this isn’t the only pair who have been found in SC. In recent years other Limpkins have been sighted as far inland as the Goose Creek reservoir including a breeding pair which was the first ever nest recorded in the state.
Hopefully when I return here for my next birding tour here next month, I’ll be able to locate their nest and be able to photograph the little ones.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

Birdwatching News, Out There with the Expert

Wintertime Limpkin sighting in South Carolina

Recently I took a quick trip down Murrells Inlet SC to see what kinds of birds were spending the winter south off the Raleigh area.
One species in particular I looking forward too seeing again were this pair of Limpkins which have been calling a neighborhood drainage pond in SC home over the past year.


The fact that these birds are here in South Carolina is pretty special because the Limpkins typical home range extends from south Florida to central and South America.
But what is the thing that is keeping them here?



The answer is snails.
Apple Snails to be precise!
While they certainly consume a fair amount of mollusks, worms, amphibians and insects the Limpkins favorite food is the Giant Apple Snail.
In fact their bills are bent and twisted at the tip, a unique physical adaptation solely developed for removing the snails from the shell.
Even during courtship the Apple Snail plays a part as the males will feed their mates the slimy snack in an effort to win her affection.
Apparently that tactic has worked in the case of these two birds since they successfully nested and raised several chicks in this location last year.


I’m hoping that this spring will yield another successful nesting season for the pair and am looking forward to seeing little ones running around the shoreline in May.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved beast, the mighty mirrorless @canonusa #R5

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

The Limpkins are spending the winter in Socastee SC

By: Sally Siko

While location scouting in preparation for a recent birding trip to Murrells Inlet SC, I decided to take a quick drive north to check up on the pair of Limpkins that I’d found a few months ago to see if they were still in the same location.
Though it took about an hour of searching in a swampy area / ponds adjacent to a suburban neighborhood, I was extremely happy to find the Limpkins a full 24 hours before my guest was to scheduled to arrive.



Rolling up on the first spot on tour day it only took like 3 seconds for me to re-find the bird.
It was a real thrill to be able to share this lovely creature with my tour guests,

This Limpkin and it’s mate are pretty far away from their normal home range which typically only extends north from South America into Florida. From what I’ve heard from local reports, this pair actually nested here this past summer and successfully raised a few chicks.
In fact this isn’t the only pair who have been found in SC. In recent years other Limpkins have been sighted as far inland as the Goose Creek reservoir including a breeding pair which was the first ever nest recorded in the state.



It seems clear that these Limpkins are comfortable enough to spend the winter in South Carolina thanks to the mild winter temperatures & ample supply of their favorite food (Apple Snails) found in the ponds and nearby swamp.
If you look closely at a couple of the photos you can see these large snail shells near the Limpkins feet.
It’s going to be interesting to see if the pair remains to nest here again in the spring.
I’m the meantime, I plan on checking in on these beauties several times over the winter and will provide updates on their status throughout the season ahead.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my mighty megapixel monster, the @canonusa #5Ds

Birdwatching News

Rare Bird Alert South Carolina- Limpkins in Conway