The Australian Painted Snipe
The Australian Painted Snipe: An Endangered Wetland Treasure
A secretive bird on the brink
The Australian Painted Snipe (Rostratula australis) is one of Australia’s most mysterious wetland birds. With chestnut, bronze, and white plumage — and females even brighter than males — it’s both striking and elusive. Yet this beauty is now officially listed as endangered.
What makes it unique
Painted Snipes are medium-sized shorebirds, around 27 cm long, with long legs and a distinctive bill that helps them forage in soft mud for seeds and tiny invertebrates. Unlike many birds, it’s the male who takes the lead in raising the young — incubating the eggs and caring for the chicks — while the female often moves on to find another mate.
Where it lives
These birds are found only in Australia, recorded across all mainland states but most often in eastern regions such as the Murray–Darling Basin. They prefer shallow freshwater or brackish wetlands, especially temporary ones with muddy edges, small islands, and patchy low vegetation like canegrass or lignum.
Behaviour and feeding
Shy and secretive, Painted Snipes rest quietly under vegetation during the day, then become active from dusk through the night. When threatened, they perform a dramatic display — spreading wings to the ground, raising their tail, and sometimes hissing to appear larger and reveal their vivid colours.
Why they’re endangered
The Painted Snipe is losing its habitat at an alarming rate. Grazing, agriculture, and the clearing of wetland vegetation have reduced safe breeding areas. Pollution, salinity, and water regulation have further altered the delicate flood patterns these birds depend on. Feral predators such as cats and foxes add extra pressure to an already struggling population.
Protecting the Painted Snipe
Conserving and restoring wetlands is critical for the survival of the Australian Painted Snipe. Every healthy wetland kept alive means a chance for this rare bird to recover.
As part of The Conservation Collage Project, I’ve created an original collage inspired by the Australian Painted Snipe. My hope is that through art, more people pause to notice these hidden species — and see why they’re worth protecting.
