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Painted Snipe
Rostratula benghalensis australis
Conservation Status
It is listed as an Endangered species in New South Wales (Threatened Species Conservation Act). The Australian Painted Snipe is also listed as a vulnerable species under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and a migratory species under the EPBC Act, as it is listed in the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA).
What does it look like?
It is a small freshwater wader with a long bill that droops slightly at the tip. The female has a chestnut-black hood with a bold white eye-patch and a cream stripe along the middle of the crown. The back and wings are patterned bronzy-greenish-grey with a few cream streaks and the underpants are white. The male is slightly smaller and has a greyer, less contrasting patterns, but also has large cream spots on the wings.
Where does it live?
It prefers fringes of swamps, dams and nearby marshy areas where there is a cover of grasses, lignum, low scrub or open timber. In NSW, it has been recorded at the Paroo Wetlands, Lake Cowell, Macquarie Marshes and Hexham Swamp. It is most common in the Macquarie-Darling Basin.
What does it eat and what is its life cycle?
Foraging is nocturnal and it feeds on worms, molluscs, insects and some plant-matter. It nests on the ground amongst tall vegetation, such as grasses, tussocks or reeds. Breeding is often in response to local conditions and generally occurs from September to December.
Updated: 21 Jun 2011
Related Links
- DEC - NSW Threatened Species Profile - Painted Snipe (Australian subspecies)