Magellanic Snipe

Gallinago magellanica

The Magellanic snipe (Gallinago magellanica) is a small, stocky wader.

The Magellanic snipe migrates north in winter, abandoning Tierra del Fuego altogether, whereas the South American snipe, to which the Magellanic snipe was formerly considered conspecific, is resident wherever it is found.

The breeding habitat is wet grassy savannah for the northern form, peat bogs. The nest is a well-hidden depression on the ground. Both parents incubate the two buff eggs for about 19 days to hatching, the precocial young leaving the nest soon after hatching.

G. magellanicae, which breeds southwards from central Argentina and central Chile is longer-winged, warmer and more buff in colour than the South American snipe.

The male performs a "winnowing" display during courtship, flying high in circles and then taking shallow dives to produce a distinctive sound.