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Snipe Gallinago gallinago [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Charadriiformes
Family:
Scolopacidae
BTO Codes:
SN , SNIPE
EURING No:
5190
Number in Britain:
53 thousand pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
AMBER
European:
3 Concern, most not in Europe; Declining
Global:
Least Concern
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IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Migrant/Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
gallinago , faeroeensis , delicata (V) recorded in Britain (of 3 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
26 cm
Wingspan:
46 cm
Weight:
M/F: 110 g
Scientific name from:
L.: gallina =a hen
World Distribution:
BREEDS: Europe, n Asia, North America, WINTERS: south to c Africa, c Asia & n South America
Habitat:
Wet grassland
Diet:
Invertebrates, on wet ground or shallow water, located by touch
TitBit:
The distinctive, thin, tweeting noise that accompanies the snipe's evocative aerial display on warm summer evenings (known as drumming) is produced by the wind whistling through its spread outer tail feathers
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Regional Trends:
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
53 thousand pairs
in 1985-99
Winter:
100 thousand individuals
in 1987-92
First Record:
8th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Lakes
Also common in:
Bog, Marsh
And found in:
Grass/Heath, Moorland, Along Streams
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
630 thousand to 1.1 million pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(II,III), WBD(II*,III*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
40 x 29 mm
Egg Weight:
16.5 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
40
(more would be welcome!)
Clutch Size:
4 eggs
3.90 ± 0.35 (2 - 5) N = 465
Incubation:
18 - 20 days
by the:
Female
Fledging:
19 - 20 days
as:
Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
30 Apr (31 Mar - 24 Jun)
Number of Broods:
1
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
298
Adult Survival:
0.62
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
2
years
Typical Lifespan:
4
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
16yr0m
(Sweden: 16yr 3m)
Biometrics
Ring Size:
C or C2 (pulli D or D2)
Wing Length
Adult:
136.1 ± 3.9
Range
129 - 142 mm, N =754
Juvenile:
136.1 ± 4.1
130 - 142 mm, N =661
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Weight
Adult:
108.2 ± 12.17
Range
91.00 - 129.0 g , N =643
Juvenile:
105.9 ± 11.12
89.00 - 124.0 g , N =598
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Common Snipe
Gaelic:
Naosg
Welsh:
Gďach Gyffredin
Danish:
Dobbeltbekkasin
Dutch:
Watersnip
Finnish:
Taivaanvuohi
French:
Bécassine des marais
German:
Bekassine
Hungarian:
Sárszalonka
Icelandic:
Hrossagaukur
Irish:
Naoscach
Italian:
Beccaccino
Norwegian:
Enkeltbekkasin
Polish:
Kszyk (bekas kszyk)
Portuguese:
Narceja-comum
Spanish:
Agachadiza común
Swedish:
Enkelbeckasin
Local Names: Snippick, Gowk
Collective Noun: Wisp (or Walk)
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Nethersole-Thompson, D. & M. 1986 Waders, their breeding, haunts and watchers Poyser, London
[598.6 NET]
Rouxel, R. 2000 Snipes of the western Palearctic Eveil Nature, St Yrieix sur Charente
[598.612 ROU]
Ferrand, Y. (ed) 2006 Sixth European Woodcock and Snipe Workshop (IWS 13) Wetlands International, Wageningen
[598.61 FER]
See Also:
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
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