Least Seedsnipe
Thinocorus rumicivorus
Very small but stocky, quail-like bird of Patagonian steppe, sandy and stony plains in the Andes, coastal dunes, and deserts. Found in pairs or small groups; locally large flocks in nonbreeding season. Male has hooting song given from low mounds or fence posts, and sometimes during display flight. Flight is strong and fast; flushes with loud bleating chatters. Similar Gray-breasted Seedsnipe is larger, favors rockier Andean habitats, and has plain gray breast without diagnostic black Y pattern present on male Least Seedsnipes.
Identification
The least seedsnipe is the smallest member of the Thinocoridae family. They have short tails and long pointed wings. Their legs and toes are a dull greenish yellow. The beak of the least seedsnipe is an ashy color and is conical like that of a finch or a sand grouse. Adult males have a gray face, neck, and breast, and have black lines at the center of the throat that form an inverted “T” shape. The eyes are a dark gray color.
Taxonomy
There are three subspecies of the least seedsnipe:
- Scientific name
- Thinocorus rumicivorus
- Authority
- Eschscholtz, 1829
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Thinocoridae
- Genus
- Thinocorus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Male seedsnipe will commonly perch on a prominent bush or fence post to deliver nuptial calls that sound like a series of a “rapid pu-pu-pu-pu-pu”s, very similar to that of the Common Snipe.<p>Seedsnipes are well-adapted to arid environments and show no increases in water loss between 20 and 36 °C. The thermoneutral zone extends from 33 to 38 °C in this species, but they have the capacity to dissipate heat through evaporative water loss up to 42 °C. Their metabolic rate is 38% lower than other non-passerine birds of similar body mass (~50 g), reducing the contribution to the total heat budget.<p>Only the female incubates the eggs. The average clutch size of the least seedsnipe is four eggs laid in a simple nest scrape, which the female buries using her feet (rather than her bill, as is seen in some African Charadrii) whenever she leaves the nest. If loose, dry plant material is available, she will use this to cover the hatchlings until her return. This behavior appears to have arisen independently in Thinocoridae. The primary purpose for nest covering in Thinocorus rumicivorus is most likely concealment from predators, but thermoregulation probably also plays a factor.<p>As the common name suggests, least seedsnipes rely mostly on seeds, but they will also eat leaves and buds and as such are strictly vegetarian in their natural habitat. However, in captivity they have been known to eat mealworms. Unlike most Charadriiformes, least seedsnipes possess a crop, a gizzard and long intestinal caeca. They have been observed foraging from a crouched position, rapidly snapping off plants and swallowing the fragments whole. They also stretch to bite off the top of grasses and tall herbs and are well-suited to browsing. They derive most if not all of their water needs from succulent plants and are only very rarely seen drinking water. They visit the beds of Calceolaria uniflora (Scrophularaceae) and feed on the fleshy growths on the lower lips of the flower and in the process transfer pollen across flowers.
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range and is one of the most common birds of southern Patagonia. According to the IUCN, the population appears stable. It has therefore been labeled as species of Least Concern.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Sao Tome Green-Pigeon
Treron sanctithomae
Chunky, medium-sized pigeon that has a green back and gray underparts. Also note the purple shoulders and the whitish bill with a red base. Flight is fast and direct. Sometimes alone, though more often in small groups. The species clambers around clumsily like a parrot but can remain well hidden. Found in the canopy of rainforest, secondary forest, and plantations. Most common at middle elevations. Voice is a quiet but maniacal combination of sputters, whistles, and cackles. Easily identified, as it is the only green pigeon on the island of Sao Tome.
Aceh Bulbul
Pycnonotus snouckaerti
Rare and declining endemic of Sumatra’s northwestern mountains. Large grayish-brown bulbul with a bright orange forehead patch, dark olive wings, and a weak crest that gives it a pointy-headed profile. Once regarded as a subspecies of the very similar Orange-spotted Bulbul, but note present species’ distribution and dark (not white) belly. Inhabits foothill and lower montane forests, where localized and largely restricted to clearings with a substantial understory. Calls are generally similar to those of Orange-spotted Bulbul, and include a bubbly chatter.
Choco Sirystes
Sirystes albogriseus
A medium-sized flycatcher, reminiscent of a mix between a becard and a Myiarchus flycatcher. Uncommon to rare in lowlands and foothills from eastern Panama to northwest Ecuador. Gray above and white below with a dark cap and black wings with bold white edging. More slender-bodied and longer-tailed than a becard. Occurs in open areas, second-growth, and forest edge, often perching conspicuously in the middle to upper levels.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.