---
title: "Zuidpoolkip"
description: "Chionis albus — Vogels. The snowy sheathbill (Chionis albus), also known as the greater sheathbill, pale-faced sheathbill, and paddy, is one of two species of sheathbill."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/nl/animal/snowy-sheathbill
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Zuidpoolkip

> Chionis albus — Vogels. The snowy sheathbill (Chionis albus), also known as the greater sheathbill, pale-faced sheathbill, and paddy, is one of two species of sheathbill.

- Scientific name: *Chionis albus*
- Category: `birds` (Vogels)
- Habitats: `arctic` (Poolgebied)
- iNaturalist observations: 1626
- Wikidata: [Q844766](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q844766)
- iNaturalist taxon: [72660](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/72660)

## Names

- en: Snowy Sheathbill
- de: Weißgesicht-Scheidenschnabel
- es: Paloma antártica
- fr: Chionis blanc
- it: Chionis alba
- nl: Zuidpoolkip
- pt: Chionis alba
- pl: Pochwodziób żółtodzioby

## Countries with the most observations

AR (453), CL (145), GS (129), FK (37), ZA (20), UY (14), BR (5)

## Summary

The snowy sheathbill (Chionis albus), also known as the greater sheathbill, pale-faced sheathbill, and paddy, is one of two species of sheathbill. It is usually found on the ground. It is the only land bird native to the Antarctic continent.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowy_sheathbill

## Photo

![Zuidpoolkip](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/snowy-sheathbill/medium.jpg)

Photo: Julia Ariadna · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/334601671

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/snowy-sheathbill?lang=nl` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).