Madagascar Snipe
Gallinago macrodactyla
Chunky, cryptic, short-legged, long-billed shorebird. Found in thickly vegetated wetlands, including rice fields, in eastern and central Madagascar. Most often seen when it flushes explosively, often giving a rough “trik” call. Display vocalization is a long accelerating series of “kik” notes. Larger than Greater Painted-Snipe, with a much longer bill and duller belly. Distinctive snipe shape separates it from all other shorebirds in its range.
识别特征
This is a large and heavy snipe 29–32 cm long with a stocky body and relatively short legs for a wader. Its upperparts, head and neck are streaked and patterned with bold dark brown stripes and gold edges to the feathers forming lines down its back. The belly is white, with some brown barring on the flanks but never on the belly. The blackish bill is very long, straight and fairly robust. The legs and feet are yellowish-olive to greenish-grey. The sexes are similar, and immature differ only in showing buff fringes on the wing coverts.<p>The Madagascar snipe makes a hoarse hlip call as it takes off. In flight, it has a narrow grey trailing edge on the wing and a very dark underwing.<p>The Madagascar snipe has never been recorded elsewhere, and no other snipe species have yet been recorded on Madagascar. Common snipe is smaller, has a paler underwing, and a white trailing edges on the wing. Pin-tailed snipe is similar in plumage to the Madagascar species, but is smaller, shorter-billed and shorter-tailed. African snipe is similar in build to the Madagascar Snipe, but has an obvious white trailing edge on the wing. All the snipes that are potential vagrants to Madagascar have a faster, lighter flight than the resident species.
分类信息
- 学名
- Gallinago macrodactyla
- 命名信息
- Bonaparte, 1839
- 目
- Charadriiformes
- 科
- Scolopacidae
- 属
- Gallinago
分布与栖息地
- 迁徙
- Resident species
行为
The Madagascar snipe breeds in marshes, swamps, muddy areas, flooded fields and sometimes ricefields. It builds a saucer-shaped nest of dry grass in the drier areas of its breeding wetland. The nest is concealed in a dense tuft of grass or sedges. Breeding occurs from at least July to January.<p>This bird has a spectacular aerial display, which involves flying high in circles, followed by a powerful stoop during which the bird makes a drumming sound, caused by vibrations of modified outer tail feathers.<p>The Madagascar snipe forages by pushing its long bill deep into the mud seeking invertebrates, such as insects and worms, seeds and plants. If alarmed, it freezes, and its cryptic plumage provides effective camouflage when the bird stands motionless amongst marsh vegetation. When flushed, it flies off with a zigzagging action.
保护状况
This bird is uncommon, with the total population estimated at 1,800–7,500 individuals. It is found in small groups of 4–8.<p>The species is threatened by the increasing conversion of wetland-edge habitat to rice cultivation. For example, at the largest block of suitable wetland habitat in Madagascar, Lake Alaotra, 250 km2 (97 sq mi) of the 350 km2 (135 sq mi) surrounding the lake are now under rice production. The species is also threatened by hunting for food, for subsistence use or local trade.
- 种群趋势
- declining
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
Arfak Astrapia
Astrapia nigra
A long-tailed bird of montane forest canopy. Male has much longer tail with iridescent green belly, black chest and small, iridescent blue throat patch. Female is blackish with indistinct barring on the belly. Feeds on fruit and searches for insects on mossy branches and epiphytes. Somewhat similar to Black Sicklebill but Arfak Astrapia lacks the long, curved bill. Call, a relatively low “clup!” that sounds somewhat like banging 2 large stones together.
Black-tailed Oriole
Oriolus percivali
Old World oriole with mostly yellow plumage, a black hood, and a red bill. Found in montane forest. Often in pairs, sometimes joining mixed flocks with other bird species. Song is a series of slurred, liquid whistles. Very similar to African Black-headed Oriole, but usually separated by habitat. Plumage differences include the black, as opposed to olive-green, center of the tail, and less white edging on the feathers along the middle of the wing.
Black-winged Lapwing
Vanellus melanopterus
Large, long-legged, upland shorebird with a brown back, a white belly, and a dark gray hood. Found in grassland and cultivation; only at high elevations over much of its range. Social; often found in flocks. Call is a high-pitched “chit-chit-chit” followed by a lower “chrrrey.” Very similar to Senegal Lapwing, but slightly larger and shorter-legged, with more white on the forehead, redder legs, and more black on the breast. Easily separated in flight, when Black-winged shows a white bar across the middle of the wing.
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