Birds
Grey-breasted Seedsnipe
Thinocorus orbignyianus
Grazing on seeds and leaves across open Andean grassland, a grey-breasted seedsnipe looks and behaves far more like a quail than the wading shorebirds it is actually related to, one of the more unusual members of its family found anywhere in the world.
Overview
The grey-breasted seedsnipe, Thinocorus orbignyianus, is a Least Concern bird native to grassland and mountain habitat across the high Andes and Patagonian grassland. Its unexpectedly plant-based diet for a shorebird, its quail-like appearance and behaviour, and its life far from any water make it one of the more taxonomically surprising birds found anywhere in South America.
A shorebird that never sees the shore
Genetics place the grey-breasted seedsnipe firmly among the shorebirds, yet almost nothing about its plant-based diet, quail-like build, or dry grassland habitat resembles the sandpipers and plovers that share its family tree.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and generally stable across suitable grassland and high-altitude habitat throughout the Andes and Patagonia.
Grey-breasted Seedsnipe: common questions
Why is the grey-breasted seedsnipe classified as a shorebird?
This species belongs to the shorebird family despite feeding entirely on plants, an unusual diet for a group otherwise dominated by invertebrate-eating species found near water.
Does the grey-breasted seedsnipe look like other shorebirds?
Not especially, this species resembles a small quail or partridge in appearance and behaviour far more than a typical wading shorebird found along a coastline.
Where does the grey-breasted seedsnipe live?
This species is found in open grassland and high-altitude terrain far from any water, unlike most shorebirds, which stay close to coasts, rivers, or wetlands.
Does the grey-breasted seedsnipe move around seasonally?
Yes, this species undertakes seasonal movements between different elevations, following changes in vegetation and weather across the Andes and Patagonia.