Looking like a little ptarmigan in its utterly cryptic plumage which renders it invisible when not moving, a White-bellied Seedsnipe Attagis malouinus strolls around while feeding in the early morning light on its wintering grounds in the Patagonian steppe north of Punta Arenas, Magallanes, Chile. One of only four species in family Thinocoridae, it has the most restricted range of all, being found only in southern Patagonia. Despite its looks, it is related to Shorebirds, not to grouse or quails, and one of the familly treats is the presence of fleshy flaps covering the nostril openings.
Far South Expeditions 