Snowy Sheathbill
Chionis albus
Sheathbills (Chionidae) · Charadriiformes (Charadriiformes)
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Often mixed up with
In quizzes, players most often confuse Snowy Sheathbill with these birds— either this species was picked by mistake, or the other way around.
| Species | Mix-ups |
|---|---|
| Black-faced Sheathbill Chionis minor | 1 |
| Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea | 1 |
| American Barn Owl Tyto furcata | 1 |
Family
The sheathbills (Chionis) is a genus of birds in the monotypic family Chionidae of the wader order Charadriiformes; the family consists of one genus with two species. They breed on subantarctic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, and the snowy sheathbill migrates to the Falkland Islands and coastal southern South America in the southern winter; they are the only bird family endemic as breeders to the Antarctic region. They are also the only Antarctic birds without webbed feet.
Order
Charadriiformes (, from Charadrius, the type genus of family Charadriidae) is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 390 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most charadriiform birds live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic (seabirds), others frequent deserts, and a few are found in dense forest.