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March 14, 2018Liberate our waters
March 14, 2018
The newest additions to the Terrebonne Parish avian population — and hopefully the additions will nurture and help along — come with a big bonus.
A male and female aramus guarauna — or in plain talk a pair of limpkins — have taken up residence near Hollywood Road, not far from the St. Louis Canal Road. They are the only known limpkins in Louisiana.
And here’s the bonus.
Their favorite food is the apple snail, a critter that’s been plaguing local bayous and canals with its bubble-gum pink egg clusters. The ornate snails climb atop reeds, boats and pilings to leave the clusters, which hatch into more apple snails. Biologists have said the invasive snails could in time wreak havoc on bottom grasses and plants in local waterways, threatening the livelihood of inshore fish favored by anglers.
The premier of the limpkins could, over time, have an effect on the apple snail population but nobody knows how long it will take till the species builds up. That’s assuming they want to colonize Terrebonne and surrounding areas and are not just what bioogists call “accidentals” — critters that are not usually found in a certain place but show up anyhow.
Limpkins are native to Florida, Mexico and South America.
“It is very exciting,” said Terrebonne Bird Club Vice President Kathy Rhodes.
A member of the club’s Facebook group, Michael Autin, spotted the limpkins Jan. 31, turning the local bird-watching world upside down.
Limpkins are large wading birds reminiscent of cranes, with brown and white body-feathers.
Bird-watchers have flocked to the narrow roadway beside the banks of St. Louis Canal. Some have shown something less than common courtesy, and stalked the birds for photo ops while they were busy with their nesting plans.
The Terrebonne Parish Council installed fencing and signage at the nesting site, being careful not to edge out fishing enthusiasts who drop lines into the nearby run-off from Lake Houmas.
Once eggs are hatched the limpkins will have a lot to do that could keep them busy. Limpkin chicks need special parentage, because nearly everything that creeps, walks or crawls in and around local bayous, from gators to bears
Although the nesting site is not in his district, Councilman Darrin Guidry — who represents the area where she lives — was quick to respond when Rhodes sought his help. Councilwoman Christa Duplantis-Prather, in whose district the birds are staging the blessed event, approved as well.
“As councilman we serve everybody in Terrebonne Parish,” Gudiry said. “Sometimes that includes our feathered friends.”
