Readers’ wildlife photos

Reader Damon Williford has some Texas birds for us today. His captions and IDs are indented, and you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them:

These photos were taken during the spring at a couple of different parks in the Houston metroplex.

Limpkin (Aramus guarauna).  Limpkins are widespread throughout Central and South America, but their range in the U.S. was formerly limited to southern Florida. Limpkins have expanded their range in the last decade and are now regular breeders along the Gulf Coast. The main reason is probably the spread of invasive apple snails (Pomacea spp.), a major food item for Limpkins. Most of the apple snails in the U.S. probably result from people dumping the contents of their aquariums into local water bodies:

Limpkin close-up:

Limpkin hunting for a snail:

Limpkin after a successful hunt:

Green Heron (Butorides virescens):

Egyptian Goose (Aplochen aegyptiaca).  Egyptian geese are another escapee from the exotic pet trade and have become established in parts of Texas, Florida, and California. This one is a juvenile:

Egyptian Goose, adult:

Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata).  Feral domesticated strains of this species have also gotten a foothold in the U.S.:

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa), male:

Wood Duck, female:

American Coot (Fulica americana):