Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe

*Top 50 Target Species

The Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe is a chunky, grouse-like bird of the high Andes, found in Ecuador only on a handful of volcanoes in the north-central region, including Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. It inhabits windswept páramo and alpine bogs between 4,000 and 5,500 meters, where its cryptic plumage blends into the stony terrain. Globally listed as Least Concern, the Ecuadorian subspecies (A. g. latrelillii) is geographically isolated and may warrant separate conservation attention. Though uncommon and easily overlooked, it survives in harsh, high-altitude ecosystems where few other birds dare to forage.