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Common Snipe

Gallinago gallinago

Not yet photographed by the community

Rapid zigzag flight; 'drumming' tail display over boggy ground.

Species Profile

Amber List (breeding), Red List (wintering population decline)

Lifespan: 10–12 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 25–27 cm, wingspan 37–43 cm; 80–110 g
Habitat: Wet grassland, marshes, reed beds, and boggy areas with soft ground for probing and nesting cover.
UK Distribution: Found throughout the UK, with resident populations year-round supplemented by migratory birds from northern Europe during autumn and winter.
Diet: Invertebrates extracted from soft mud and wet soil, including earthworms, insect larvae, and small crustaceans.
Prey: Earthworms, chironomid larvae, mayfly nymphs, oligochaetes, amphipods
Predators: Foxes, stoats, weasels, crows, ravens, and birds of prey such as Merlin and Hen Harrier; gulls and corvids take chicks.
Mating Season: March to June
Breeding: Clutch of 4 eggs, incubation period 18–20 days, single brood per season. Chicks are precocial and fledge at 19–20 days.
Behaviour: Highly cryptic and solitary, relying on camouflage to avoid detection. Males perform striking aerial displays during breeding season, producing loud chip calls and vibrating tail feathers to create a drumming sound.

Did You Know?

•The Common Snipe has eyes positioned far back on its head, providing nearly 360-degree vision to detect predators while feeding with its head down
•The vibrating tail feathers during the male's dive display produce a distinctive bleating or drumming sound called 'drumming', used to establish territory and attract mates
•Their extremely long bill is highly sensitive and used to probe into soft mud in a sewing-machine like motion to locate prey by touch
•Common Snipes can be difficult to flush from cover and zigzag rapidly in flight when disturbed, making them challenging to observe
•UK breeding populations have declined significantly due to drainage of wetlands and intensification of agriculture, making winter visitors increasingly important for UK snipe numbers

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