Snowy Sheathbill (Chionis albus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Snowy Sheathbill

Chionis albus (Gmelin, JF, 1789)

676 gWeight

The snowy sheathbill (Chionis albus), also known as the greater sheathbill, pale-faced sheathbill, and paddy, is one of two species of sheathbill.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Antarctica, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, Falkland Islands

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Snowy Sheathbill has been recorded at 59 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 7 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Sea Lion IslandFalkland Islands662 records
  2. Punta LoyolaArgentina529 records
  3. Half Moon IslandAntarctica468 records
More places
  1. Gold HarbourSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands419 records
  2. St Andrew's BaySouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands377 records
  3. Cape PembrokeFalkland Islands348 records
  4. Canal BeagleArgentina329 records
  5. Salisbury PlainSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands311 records
  6. Cooper BaySouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands262 records
  7. Brown BluffAntarctica259 records

Countries and regions with the most records

AntarcticaSouth Georgia & South Sandwich IslandsFalkland IslandsArgentinaUruguaySouth AfricaChile

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

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 is the only land bird native to the Antarctic continent.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Snowy Sheathbill?

The Snowy Sheathbill weighs around 676 g.

Where does the Snowy Sheathbill live?

Its breeding range: Antarctica: Antarctic Peninsula and satellites, South Shetland, South Orkney, and South Georgia islands. It is most often recorded in Antarctica, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands and Falkland Islands.

When is the best time to see the Snowy Sheathbill?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Snowy Sheathbill endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Snowy Sheathbill as Least Concern.

What does the Snowy Sheathbill eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Snowy Sheathbill in?

It belongs to the family Sheathbills (Chionidae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Weight
676 g
Habitat
Ocean
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
246 mm
Tail
103 mm
Bill
33 mm
Tarsus
46 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Antarctica: Antarctic Peninsula and satellites, South Shetland, South Orkney, and South Georgia islands

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Sheathbills Chionidae
Genus
Chionis

Other birds in the genus Chionis

Black-faced SheathbillBlack-faced SheathbillChionis minor
Snowy Sheathbill

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Guillermo Menéndez. ↗

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