limpkin
- noun
- /ˈlɪmpkɪn/
- US
- Birdwatchers flock to Florida to catch a glimpse of the rare limpkin in its natural habitat.
Examples
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Look at that limpkin hunting for food!
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The eerie call of the limpkin echoed across the Florida wetlands at dusk.
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Unlike herons, the limpkin has a distinctive, drooping bill and a louder, mournful cry.
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We spotted a limpkin beside the marsh, searching for snails in the shallow water.
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The limpkin wades through the shallow waters.
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While canoeing in the marsh, I spotted a limpkin wading through the shallow water.
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The distinctive call of the limpkin echoed through the wetlands during my early morning hike.
Synonyms
A large wading bird from Central and South American wetlands with a loud, repeating call
A bird that lives in marshes with long legs, a curved bill, and a loud wailing call that eats snails
Surface Forms
Etymology
Limpkin is easy to remember if you break it into limp (to 'walk unevenly') and the little ending -kin (meaning 'small'). A helpful way to remember the bird is to picture a small, long-billed wader that looks a bit awkward on land and gives a loud, mournful call, so the name fits its ungainly walk and sound.