Characterization: This species measures 41 cm. With an extremely hooked beak, the male is slate-gray and has a white tail base and orange feet.

Distribution: From Florida to Mexico to Argentina and Uruguay, and throughout Brazil.

Habitat: Marshes, swamps.

Habits: It flies over the marshes looking for snails. It spends the night in flocks, which may be large in areas with extensive wetlands, at dusk.

Diet: Almost exclusively large aquatic "Aruá" snails. It uses its curved beak to remove the soft parts of the snails and drop the empty shell. It captures the Aruás making a flyby over the marshes, picking them up from the ground with only one foot and perching to eat. In some regions, this bird also eat small crabs.

Breeding: It nests in colonies, making elegant flight displays, such as pikes and "loops" during the breeding season.

In the UFRA area: In the studies done at the São Francisco Sugarmill areas, this bird's distribution was limited to wetlands with herbaceous plants. It is considered rare because it was only spotted a few times