Introduction- The Greater Painted Snipe or Rostratulidae benghalensis is a member of the 2-species waders family Rostratulidae that also consist of the South American Painted Snipe (Nycticryphes semicollaris). Being members of the same family, both the Greater and South American Painted Snipe share many common features like their size (around 25cm long), boldly marked bodies and long bills but distinctive habitual and geographical differences set them apart.
A female snipe foraging in the marshes
The Rostratulidae benghalensis was featured in a Japan's 62 Yen, 1992 series of waterbird stamps.
Japan 62 Yen, Waterbird series stamp featuring the Greater Painted Snipe.
World Distribution- Africa (sub-Sahara region), Australia, Japan, Madagascar and some parts of Asia. It is considered amongst one of the rare species to be found locally.
(Left) A male snipe basking in the sun
(Right) A visibly brighter female, the Greater Painted Snipe is a sexually dimorphic species
Breeding- Unlike its South American cousin, the Greater Painted Snipe is a strongly sexually dimorphic species, which in layman's term means its females are usually brightly colored, and are the ones involved in courtship during breeding. The species adopts a role-reversal breeding strategy, the female will court a male to breed and in turn, leaving the male to incubate the newly hatched eggs where it will abandone the former and proceed in courting other males. That said, the birds (regardless of sexes) are often found to be closely nested with others in small groups so as to improve their chance of defending their territory when threatened.
<<Click this symbol to hear a female snipe's call
A female snipe foraging in the marshes
The Rostratulidae benghalensis was featured in a Japan's 62 Yen, 1992 series of waterbird stamps.
Japan 62 Yen, Waterbird series stamp featuring the Greater Painted Snipe.
World Distribution- Africa (sub-Sahara region), Australia, Japan, Madagascar and some parts of Asia. It is considered amongst one of the rare species to be found locally.
(Left) A male snipe basking in the sun
(Right) A visibly brighter female, the Greater Painted Snipe is a sexually dimorphic species
Breeding- Unlike its South American cousin, the Greater Painted Snipe is a strongly sexually dimorphic species, which in layman's term means its females are usually brightly colored, and are the ones involved in courtship during breeding. The species adopts a role-reversal breeding strategy, the female will court a male to breed and in turn, leaving the male to incubate the newly hatched eggs where it will abandone the former and proceed in courting other males. That said, the birds (regardless of sexes) are often found to be closely nested with others in small groups so as to improve their chance of defending their territory when threatened.
<<Click this symbol to hear a female snipe's call