Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
South American Painted-snipe
Nycticryphes semicollaris
South American Painted-snipe (Nycticryphes semicollaris) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The South American Painted-snipe (Nycticryphes semicollaris) is a member of the Rostratulidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 76.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Rostratulidae Painted-snipes
- Genus Nycticryphes
- Species semicollaris
Where it lives
Patchily in Paraguay and southeastern Brazil to south-central Argentina and central Chile
Quick facts
- Weight
- 76.6 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Rostratulidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The South American Painted-snipe hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The South American Painted-snipe is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The South American Painted-snipe (Nycticryphes semicollaris) is a member of the Rostratulidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA patchily in Paraguay and se Brazil to sc Argentina and c Chile.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 76.6 g, with a wing length of about 10.3 cm and a tail of around 4.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.5 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the South American Painted-snipe?
The South American Painted-snipe is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 76.6 g.
Where does the South American Painted-snipe live?
The South American Painted-snipe is found across South America with a range covering SA patchily in Paraguay and se Brazil to sc Argentina and c Chile, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the South American Painted-snipe belong to?
The South American Painted-snipe (Nycticryphes semicollaris) belongs to the Rostratulidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the South American Painted-snipe eat?
The South American Painted-snipe hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the South American Painted-snipe migrate?
The South American Painted-snipe is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the South American Painted-snipe endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
How large is the South American Painted-snipe's range?
The South American Painted-snipe has a mapped global range of about 2.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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