Animalia Life
Attagis malouinus
TAXONOMY
Tetrao malouinus Boddaert, 1783, Islas Malvinas. Monotypic.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Attagis de Magellan; German: Weissbauch-Hцhenlдufer;
Spanish: Agachona Patagona.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
10–11 in (26.5–29 cm). Head speckled and upperparts and
breast cryptically patterned with blackish, rufous, and buff.
Rump densely barred blackish and pale buff. Chin, belly, and
narrow tip of tail white. In flight shows conspicuous white
band on underwing.
DISTRIBUTION
Breeds at 2,100–6,600 ft (650–2,000 m) in southernmost Chile
and Argentina. Descends to adjacent lowlands in winter. Apparently
straggles to Islas Malvinas.
HABITAT
Scree and moorland, especially with crowberries (Empetrum)
and Azorella cushions. In winter on stony, dry riverbeds and
wide shores of partly dry lakes.
BEHAVIOR
In pairs or family groups, in winter in large flocks. Emits loud
calls in flight.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Reportedly feeds on crowberries and other plant material.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Four eggs, little else known.
CONSERVATION STATUS
HABITAT
almost never visited by humans, parts of range protected.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
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