Snipes, Sandpipers and Phalaropes (Scolopacidae)

South American Snipe (Gallinago paraguaiae) - HBW 3, p. 496

French: Bécassine de Magellan German: Magellanbekassine Spanish: Agachadiza Suramericana
Other common names: Magellan/Paraguayan Snipe; Puna/Andean Snipe (andina); Chilean Puna Snipe (“innotata”)

Taxonomy: Scolopax Paraguaiæ Vieillot, 1816, Paraguay.
Genus formerly named Capella, as this name erroneously considered to pre-date Gallinago (see page 446). Forms superspecies with G. gallinago and perhaps G. nigripennis, and all three occasionally considered conspecific. Race andina has often been regarded as full species, and magellanica too may be close to separate species status. Possible race innotata, from R Loa, N Chile, proposed on basis of densely barred underwing-coverts; on occasion, this form has even been considered separate species. Three subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution: