Magellanic Snipe
NameMagellanic Snipe
Common NameMagellanic Snipe
Scientific NameGallinago magellanica
FamilyScolopacidae
Wingspan (cm)42.5
Length (cm)28.5
Weight (g)125
Plumage DetailsUpperparts are mottled brown and black with buffy streaks, providing excellent camouflage. Underparts are pale with dark barring on the flanks. The head features a dark crown with a pale central stripe, a dark eye-stripe, and a prominent pale supercilium.
Vocalization / CallVocalizations include a harsh 'scape' call when flushed. During display flights, males produce a distinctive 'drumming' sound with their specialized outer tail feathers.
Primary Dietinsectivore
Primary Habitatswetland, grassland, mountain
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound in southern South America, including Chile, Argentina, and the Falkland Islands, typically in high-altitude bogs and wet grasslands.
Identifying Featureslong straight bill, cryptic brown and black streaked plumage, dark eye-stripe with pale supercilium, short legs, drumming sound during display flight
Description
The Magellanic Snipe is a medium-sized shorebird characterized by its cryptic brown and black streaked plumage, long straight bill, and relatively short legs. It is often found in wet, muddy habitats where it probes for invertebrates.
