Snowy Sheathbill
Chionis albus
Embed This Widget
Add the script tag and a data attribute to embed this widget.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<div data-birdfyi="bird" data-slug="chionis-albus"></div>Embed via iframe for maximum compatibility.
<iframe src="https://birdfyi.com/iframe/bird/chionis-albus/" width="420" height="400" frameborder="0" style="border:0;border-radius:10px;max-width:100%" loading="lazy"></iframe>Paste this URL in WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-compatible platform.
https://birdfyi.com/bird/chionis-albus/Add a dynamic SVG badge to your README or docs.
[](https://birdfyi.com/bird/chionis-albus/)Use the native HTML custom element.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<birdfyi-bird slug="chionis-albus"></birdfyi-bird>About
Snowy Sheathbill (Chionis albus) is a stocky 34–41 cm all-white bird of the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic; sole member of its family in the Southern Ocean region. White plumage; bare facial skin with fleshy caruncles; yellowish bill with horny sheath. Inhabits penguin and seal colonies, stealing food and scavenging carrion.
Physical Description
| Measurement | Value | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Wingspan | 49.2 cm | 19.4 in |
| Weight | 682.5 g | 24.07 oz |
Habitat & Range
Conservation Status
Behavior & Breeding
Nesting
Nest type: CP,CV. Incubation: 26-32 days. Fledging: 50-60 days.
Clutch Size
1-4
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Charadriiformes (Shorebirds & Gulls) |
| Family | Chionidae |
| Genus | Chionis |
| Species | Chionis albus |
Distribution
Snowy Sheathbill has been recorded in 5 countries.
{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}countries highlighted
External Databases
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Snowy Sheathbill endangered?
How does the Snowy Sheathbill nest?
How big is the Snowy Sheathbill?
What order and family does the Snowy Sheathbill belong to?
Similar Birds
Other species in the Chionidae family