It has been compared to a kiwi or a limpkin in appearance and behaviour. The apple snail's usual enemies are the birds limpkin and snail kite. John James Audubon visited Spring Garden in January, 1836, where he first painted the limpkin. The limpkin is a large bird in a monotypic family. The Limpkin is a large bird in a monotypic family. The diet of the limpkin is dominated by apple snails (Ampullariidae) of the genus "Pomacea". Specialist birds include limpkin, barred owl and, in summer, swallow-tailed kite. The limpkin is a somewhat large bird, long, with a wingspan of . The limpkin undertakes some localized migrations, although the extent of these is not fully understood. The limpkin is a small rail-like bird that feeds almost entirely on apple snails.