Seedsnipes: Thinocoridae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Seedsnipes And People, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe (attagis Gayi): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS

Seedsnipes are found in the New World (Western Hemisphere) tropics, occupying the Andes as well as the Patagonian and Peruvian coasts in western and southern South America.

HABITAT

Seedsnipes are found in cold, windswept areas, including rocky slopes, short grasslands, and bogs. They also occupy dry riverbeds and the shores of partly dried-up lakes.

DIET

Seedsnipes eat plant material exclusively. This includes buds, leaf tips, some seeds and succulents, plants with fleshy, water-storing stems or leaves. Despite their name, seeds are not a particularly important part of the seedsnipes' diet. Seedsnipes generally feed by biting food off with their bills and swallowing the food whole.

CONSERVATION STATUS

No seedsnipes are considered threatened at this time. However, some populations have been affected by hunting and pollution.