Friday 21 March 2014

Waders in Argentina



If I had to pick a favourite bird family, I'd probably be stuck between corvids and waders (shorebirds to Americans). I think my liking for the latter has something to do with growing up in a relatively wader-starved part of the country.

Anyway, both were in short supply in Argentina. As I've already noted, Chimago Caracaras seem to fill the niche taken here by Carrion Crows, Magpies and Jackdaws, while we were probably around at the wrong time of year to get many waders.

Having said that, the Southern Lapwing, below, was pretty much everywhere we went, and like all lapwings it's a striking creature.


At the top of this post is a South American Snipe, sometimes treated as a race of Common Snipe. There are certain differences in behaviour and call, from what I saw, but it's an interesting question.

Finally, below, there's a Solitary Sandpiper, a new bird for me. It has a certain Wood Sandpiper feel to it. Other wader ticks included South American Stilt, Two-banded Plover, and both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs (and trying saying the latter in a hurry).


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