Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe
Attagis gayi
Chunky, generally uncommon, rather grouselike bird of the high Andes. Found in pairs or small groups on bogs, stony slopes, and in bleak moorland of puna and páramo zones. Lacey “chainmail” pattern to upperparts is beautifully cryptic, and birds sometimes freeze when alarmed making them more difficult to see. No similar species in range; note the short stout bill and rusty underparts. Flight strong and fast, and flushes with loud shrieking choruses.
Identification
The rufous-bellied seedsnipe is 27 to 30 cm (11 to 12 in) long and weighs about 280 to 400 g (9.9 to 14 oz). The sexes are alike. The nominate subspecies' upperparts have an intricate scallop pattern of rufous-brown and blackish; its underparts are unmarked pale pinkish cinnamon. Subspecies A. g. latrelillii has a deeper rufous cinnamon than the nominate in its vent area and a scalloped breast. A. g. simonsi's breast is a darker pinkish cinnamon than the nominate's; it is paler above with finer markings. Juveniles much resemble adults but with somewhat finer markings on their upperparts.
Taxonomy
The rufous-bellied seedsnipe shares its genus with the white-bellied seedsnipe (A. malouinus). They and the other two seedsnipes are closely related to the sandpipers of family Scolopacidae. It has three subspecies, the nominate A. g. gayi, A. g. latrelillii, and A. g. simonsi. At least one publication has suggested that A. g. latrelillii might deserve to be recognized as a species.<p>The rufous-bellied seedsnipe's specific epithet commemorates the French naturalist Claude Gay.[citation needed]
- Scientific name
- Attagis gayi
- Authority
- Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, I & Lesson, RP, 1831
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Thinocoridae
- Genus
- Attagis
Range and habitat
Subspecies A. g. latrelillii of rufous-bellied seedsnipe is found far from the other subspecies, on seven high volcanoes in north-central Ecuador. A. g. simonsi is found from central Peru south through northern Chile and western Bolivia into northwestern Argentina. The nominate A. g. gayi is found from north central Chile and west central Argentina south almost to Tierra del Fuego.<p>The rufous-bellied seedsnipe inhabits alpine terrain in the Andes, often as high as the snow line. It frequents boggy and other moist areas but also occurs in drier and rockier landscapes. Subspecies A. g. latrelillii is typically found in páramo. In the northern half of its range it mostly is found between 4,000 and 5,500 m (13,100 and 18,000 ft). Further south it occurs down to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) and in the extreme south as low as 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The rufous-bellied seedsnipe is essentially non-migratory, though southern populations are thought to move to lower elevation in the austral winter. It is a strong flier and when flushed flies in a fast zigzag.<p>The rufous-bellied seedsnipe feeds on plant matter, typically in moist areas, but details of its diet are lacking.<p>Little is known about the rufous-bellied seedsnipe's breeding biology. It lays eggs during September and October in Chile; further north the season extends to December. Its nest is a shallow scrape in the ground and the clutch size is typically four eggs.<p>The rufous-bellied seedsnipe frequently calls when flying and also while running; its call is "a melodic-sounding 'gly-gly-gly...' or 'cul-cul-cul...'" which several birds may make simultaneously.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Yellow-bellied Greenbul
Chlorocichla flaviventris
A large, burly greenbul with greenish upperparts and yellowish underparts. It has a distinctive red-brown eye with a diagnostic broken white eye-ring. A small shaggy crest and yellowish underwings further differentiate it. Pairs or small groups skulk in thickets and forest edge, where they forage on fruits and insects and are often first detected by their nagging nasal “yeehn-yeehn-yeehn” calls and various chattering. The similar Joyful Greenbul differs from Yellow-bellied Greenbul by having olivaceous rather than yellowish underparts and by lacking the white eye-ring.
Orange-eared Tanager
Chlorochrysa calliparaea
Colorful tanager found in cloud forest along the east slope of the Andes. Male is brilliant green with a bluish tinge to head and underparts, dark throat, and orange patch on neck and rump. In southern Peru and Bolivia, male also has a broad sapphire stripe on underparts. Female and immature are duller with smaller orange neck patches, and blue on underparts is much reduced or lacking entirely. Usually encountered following mixed-species canopy flocks.
Stripe-throated Wren
Cantorchilus leucopogon
Fairly small dark wren. Look for black-and-white stripes on throat and cheek, warm brown underparts, and barred wings. Sexes similar. Found in humid forest from eastern Panama to northwest Ecuador. Singles or pairs are found in the lower to middle levels, sometimes accompanying a mixed-species flock. Listen for song consisting of high pure whistles.
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