Monday 12 October 2009

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)

OTHER NAMES: Snipe
Latin Etymology: Gallinago ("woodcock/snipe") gallinago ("woodcock/snipe")
Adult Common Snipe (subspecies G. g. faeroeensis) at Summer Leys Reserve, Northants - March 2022

Featured Subspecies: Gallinago gallinago faeroeensis
Weight: 80-140g  /  Length: 25-27cm  /  Wingspan: 44-47cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Snipe are one of the more secretive waders - they tend to be seen mostly at the edge of reed-beds or cover, at least unless they have no choice. That being said, they are much less skulking than the Water Rail, of for that matter, their two closest relations in the UK - the Jack Snipe or Woodcock, and more numerous. In general photographing them shouldn't be impossible if you find a site which is good for them. Rainham in late summer gave me a good haul.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Gallinago
Subspecies: G. g. faeroeensis, G. g. gallinago

- Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - Locally common breeding species (80,000 pairs)and common but secretive Wintering species (1,100,000 birds)
 - Birds seen at Rutland WaterRainham MarshesPitsford Reservoir and Ditchford Gravel Pits.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red ListRSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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