Greater Painted-snipe

Rostratula benghalensis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Greater Painted-snipe, Rostratula benghalensis, is a wader of the family Rostratulidae that breeds across Africa and tropical to subtropical Asia, from inland Africa and Madagascar to the Indus Valley, southern China, central Japan, the Philippines and the Lesser Sundas. It lives in wetland settings, especially muddy places with cover, and is also found beside lakes, rivers, marshes and swamps. The species is strongly sexually dimorphic, with the female larger and more brightly marked than the male. In breeding, the female takes several mates, while the male sits on the eggs and looks after the young.

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Rostratulidae — Painted-snipes

Breeding range

Africa, Oriental Region: widespread inland Africa and tropical to subtropical (locally temperate) Asia: Africa and Madagascar; Indus Valley (c Pakistan) to s China, c Japan, Philippines and e Lesser Sundas