Snowy sheathbill

Snowy sheathbill
File:Chionis blanc - Pale-faced Sheathbill.jpg
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Charadriiformes
Family:	Chionididae
Genus:	Chionis
Species:	C. albus
Binomial name
Chionis albus Gmelin, 1789
Synonyms
Chionis alba Gmelin, 1789 Vaginalis alba Gmelin, 1789

The snowy sheathbill (Chionis albus), also known as the greater sheathbill, pale-faced sheathbill, and paddy, is one of two species of sheathbill. It is usually found on the ground. It the only land bird (excluding Penguins) native to Antarctica.

Description

A snowy sheathbill is about 380–410 mm (15–16 in) long, with a wingspan of 760–800 mm (30–31 in). It is pure white except for its pink, warty face; its Latin name translates to "snow white".

Range

The snowy sheathbill lives in Antarctica, the Scotia Arc, the South Orkneys, and South Georgia. Snowy sheathbills living very far south migrate north in winter.

Feeding

The snowy sheathbill does not have webbed feet. It finds its food on the land. It is an omnivore, a scavenger, and a kleptoparasite. It steals krill and fish from penguins and sometimes eats their eggs and down-covered chicks. It also eats carrion, animal feces, and, where available, human waste. It has been known to eat tapeworms that have been living in a chinstrap penguin's intestine.

Gallery

• Snowy Sheathbills.jpg
• Pochwodziob (js).jpg
• Pochwodziob2 (js).jpg
• Snowy Sheathbill.jpg

External links

• Neotropical Birds Online A very thorough treatment of the Snowy Sheathbill's distribution, life history, behavior and conservation challenges.