Animalia Life
Thinocorus orbignyianus
TAXONOMY
Thinocorus orbignyianus I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire and Lesson,
1831, Santiago, Chile. Two subspecies recognized (T. o. orbignyianus
and T. o. ingae) that differ only in size.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: D’Orbigny’s seedsnipe; French: Thinocore d’Orbigny;
German: Graubrust-Hцhenlдufer; Spanish: Agachona Mediana.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
9 in (23 cm), T. o. ingae averaging smallest: 3.9–4.9 oz
(110–140 g). Female slightly smaller than male. Upperparts
with cryptic pattern of whitish, buff, and dusky; light borders
narrowest in juveniles. Throat and belly white, demarcated
with blackish towards face and breast, which are gray in male,
streaked dusky and buff in female and juvenile. Tail prominently
white tipped, rounded to slightly wedge shaped. In
flight it shows a faint white wingbar above and a broad white
wingbar below that contrast with the dark wing linings.
DISTRIBUTION
T. o. orbignyianus: Tierra del Fuego north along the Andes to
central Argentina/Chile; T. o. ingae: Andes from northern Argentina/
Chile to northern Peru.
HABITAT
Dry puna with scattered bunchgrass, cushion plants, low herbs,
and short grass bordering highland bogs.
BEHAVIOR
In pairs or family groups. Territorial males countersing from
hummocks or rocks, or they perform elaborate display flight at
twilight or night in which they fly in wide circles and descend
with stiff, lowered wings and raised tail. When flushed, flies
with snipe-like zigzag flight.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Browses quietly, bites off buds and leaf tips of young grass,
herbs, and succulents.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Possibly lays several broods in a season. Nest is a simple scrape
loosely lined with plant debris. Four eggs. Length of incubation
period unknown. Both parents guard the young.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Common and widespread, benefits from clearance of high altitude
woodland.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
Photo Gallery of - Gray-breasted seedsnipe
