Bilen, Ethiopia
January 2016

The Greater Painted-snipe is distributed in Africa, India and the Far East. See the distribution map at Birdlife International. It is found in well vegetated margins of ponds, lakes, marshes, etc.

It is omnivorous and feeds mainly at dusk and dawn but possibly also during the night. This plus its skulking habits and cryptic plumage make it difficult to see.

This photo, taken at dusk, shows a male. The female is much brighter with a chestnut head, neck and breast.