Snowy sheathbill (Chionis alba or Chionis albus). This stocky bird is a scavenger. It steals food from other birds and will also

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Snowy sheathbill (Chionis alba or Chionis albus). This stocky bird is a scavenger. It steals food from other birds and will also take eggs, small chicks, faeces, and carrion. The bare skin on its face and the cover on its bill (which gives the species its name) are adaptations for keeping clean while eating messy food. It breeds on the Antarctic coast and subantarctic islands, migrating to Argentina and the Falklands for winter. It is the only Antarctic bird to feed exclusively on land, rather than in the sea. It is related to shorebirds, such as plovers. Photographed on Cuverville Island, Antarctica.

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Size: 4347px × 2898px
Photo credit: © Lilach Weiss / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: alba, albus, animal, animals, antarctic, antarctica, atlantic, biological, biology, bird, carnivore, carnivorous, chionis, cuverville, fauna, georgia, greater, island, land, lilachw, nature, ornithological, ornithology, paddy, pale-faced, peninsula, psi, scavenger, sheathbill, shorebird, snowy, south, white, wildlife, zoological, zoology