Large seedsnipe measuring 27–30 cm, the largest of the family. Robust, compact body with a partridge-like appearance, small head, short neck, and short wedge-shaped rounded tail. Plumage extremely cryptic: back, neck, and chest in cinnamon, grayish, and brown tones with fine black and whitish vermiculations. Underparts distinctive, with rufous-cinnamon belly, variable and somewhat faintly scaled. Throat grayish-white. In flight, the wings show dorsally the same cryptic pattern as the back, while ventrally they are mostly white. Bill short, thick, entirely grayish with a sheath at the base that protects the nostrils in windy, dry, and dusty environments. Legs yellowish. Sexes similar. Juvenile more finely mottled. Although it coexists with other seedsnipe species, by size it can only be confused with the Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe (A. malouinus). It differs, among other traits, by its rufous belly (white in the Patagonian species) and by the entirely grayish bill (bicolored in the Patagonian).
Distribution: Broad Andean distribution from southern Colombia and Ecuador to Patagonia. In Argentina it occurs continuously along the Andes from Jujuy to Santa Cruz. Two main subspecies are present in the country: North (simonsi): from the Altiplano to northern Catamarca, associated with Puna environments. South (gayi): from southern Catamarca to Santa Cruz, including Andean and Patagonian environments. Performs altitudinal movements associated with climatic conditions and food availability, descending in winter.
Habitat: Inhabits open high Andean environments: rocky slopes, cold steppes, wet meadows, bofedales, and peatlands, generally near the snowline. In the north it occurs between 3,500 and 5,000 m a.s.l., while in the south it can be found from 800 to 2,000 m, descending even to 500 m in winter.
Behavior: Walking species, generally in pairs or small groups; forms flocks in winter. Displays confiding and highly cryptic behavior: often remains motionless or crouches to blend in, going unnoticed. Walks upright but with slow movements, alternating with quick and abrupt actions while feeding. Flight low, fast, and zigzagging; typically takes off explosively when detected. Emits chirps, whistles, and rapid high-pitched trills. In alarm situations, especially during flight, produces a louder and more repetitive call. May vocalize both on the ground and in flight, being more noticeable when flushed.
Diet: Feeds mainly on plant material: seeds, shoots, leaves, and succulent plants; walking slowly, picking fragments with quick, abrupt movements and swallowing them whole. In winter it usually feeds in groups.
Breeding: Nests on the ground, in a simple depression in open environments. Clutch of 3 to 5 eggs, olive-brown with dark spots. Chicks are precocial and highly cryptic.
Conservation status: In Argentina it is categorized as Not Threatened (NT) and globally as Least Concern (LC). However, it is a species of low frequency even in suitable habitats, and its populations may be affected by habitat modification, especially due to expansion of extractive activities such as mining, as well as overgrazing and other disturbances in high Andean and Patagonian environments.
Author of this compilation: Diego Carus and María Belén Dri – 03/04/2026