Habitat and Range Description Food Breeding Sounds More Images Recent Literature

Seedsnipes

Order: CharadriiformesLeast Seedsnipe

Family: Thinocoridae

4 species

HABITAT AND RANGE:

open habitats of South America;

DESCRIPTION:

18-30 cm; bill strong, short, pointed; nostrils slitlike with operculum; wings long, pointed; tail short; legs short, toes long; terrestrial; walk and feed like sand grouse or doves, fly like snipe;

FOOD:

feed principally on invertebrates and vegetable matter;

BREEDING:

males more colorful in 2 species; 4 eggs in scrape lined with plant material; monogamous; female incubation; biparental care of chicks

SOUNDS:

MORE IMAGES:

RECENT LITERATURE:

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(Image taken from Hayman, P. J. Marchant, and Tony Prater. Shorebirds. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, 1986).