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Greater Painted-snipe
Latin Name:
Rostratula benghalensis
Category:
Size:
25cm
Description:
Polyandrous. Breeing female: metallic-olive above, thickly marked buff and black; buff stripe down crown centre; chestnut throat, breast and sides of neck; white below breast. Breeding male: duller overall; lacks chestnut. Sexes difficult to distinguish when not in breeding plumage. Crepuscular and nocturnal; solitary or a few scattered birds; feeds in squelchy mud but also moves on drier ground; runs on landing.
Habitat:
wet mud, marshes, such areas where there is a mix of open water, and heavy low cover.
Food:
insects, crustaceans, molluscs, vegetable matter.
Distribution:
resident throughout the area up to about 2,000m in the Himalaya.
Call:
Call Description:
common call a long-drawn, mellow note that can be likened to the noise made by blowing into a bottle mouth.
IUCN:
National Status:
At IITK: