Australian Painted-Snipe
Rostratula australis
Cryptic wader with long, slightly decurved greenish-yellow bill. Bright white underparts, dark brown head and neck, and streaked olive upperparts, with distinctive curved white line extending from breast through the back. Nomadic, with unpredictable movements, so may turn up in a wide variety of wetland habitats, typically shallow wetlands with surrounding vegetation. Most likely to be observed in early morning, in late evening, or at night.
Identification
The head, neck and upper breast is chocolate brown (in the male, dark grey with a buff median stripe on the crown), fading to rufous in the centre of the hindneck and merging to dark, barred grey on the back. There is a cream comma-shaped mark around the eye. A white stripe on the side of the breast and over the shoulders is diagnostic. The upperwing is grey (with buff spots in the male). The lower breast and underbody are white. Males are generally slightly smaller and less bright than females. Juveniles are similar to adult males. No call has been recorded.<p>The length ranges from 24 to 30 cm, the wingspan from 50 to 54 cm, the weight from 125 to 130 g.
Taxonomy
The distinctiveness of the Australian painted-snipe was recognised by John Gould in 1838 when he described and named it Rostratula australis. However, it was subsequently lumped with the greater painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis. More recently it has been shown that the differences between these taxa warrant recognition at the species level. Compared with the greater painted-snipe, the Australian painted-snipe:
- Scientific name
- Rostratula australis
- Authority
- (Gould, 1838)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Rostratulidae
- Genus
- Rostratula
Range and habitat
The Australian painted-snipe is endemic to Australia, though its distribution is patchy and its presence in any particular area is unpredictable. A previous stronghold was the Riverina. It frequents shallow, freshwater wetlands with a thick cover of low vegetation, disappearing when conditions become unsuitable.<p>The species has declined drastically during the 20th century and is rare throughout its range. Causes of the decline are ascribed to wetland drainage, river management and salinisation, as well as grazing and trampling of wetlands by stock. Estimates of the total population range from a few hundred to a few thousand. In Australia it is classified as being nationally threatened with a rating of Vulnerable. The IUCN recently split the species and treats it as endangered.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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