Photo by Andres Vasquez Noboa / Macaulay Library
Rufous-Bellied Seedsnipe
(Attagis gayi)
I came across this remarkable bird accidently while casually looking through 'Shorebirds - An Identification Guide', which I purchased over 25 years ago. One particularly attractive bird with remarkable markings caught my eye. It was a Rufous-Bellied Seedsnipe: a bird I had never heard of. Apart from its eye-catching appearance, I was most impressed with the following amazing factual data. This bird is one of the largest of four seedsnipes to be found only in the high Andes, from Chile, Patagonia, Peru, Bolivia and NW Argentina. It is a bird of the high Andes throughout the year and often found around the snow-line at over 4000 metres (13,123 feet). It shows sedentary movement, hardly ever moving to lower elevations even in severe weather. It feeds by pecking seeds and grazing plants. They are approachable, but when flushed can fly quite rapidly. I would describe this bird in just three words: hardy and handsome.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry the Birder
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