Wilson's Snipe

Gallinago delicata

Order CHARADRIIFORMES - Family SCOLOPACIDAE

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1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Food
8. Behavior
9. Reproduction
10. Conservation Status
11. Other Names

A common shorebird of wet, grassy spots, the Wilson's Snipe has an extremely long bill that it uses to probe in the mud for small invertebrates. Its camouflage is so good that it often is not seen before it flushes from the grass.

Cool Facts

• The Wilson's Snipe was recently recognized as a different species from the Common Snipe of Eurasia. The two snipes look extremely similar, but differ in the shape, patterning, and usually the number of the tail feathers. The Wilson's Snipe typically has 16 tail feathers, whereas the Common Snipe has 14. These numbers vary, however, and a Common Snipe may have from 12 to 18 tail feathers.
• The hollow, low whistled sound called "winnowing" is used by the male to defend his territory and attract a mate. It is not a vocal sound, but rather is produced by air flowing over the outstretched tail feathers with each wingbeat. The outer tail feathers are greatly modified to produce the sound and are thin and curved.

• The long bill of the Wilson's Snipe is flexible. The tips can be opened and closed with no movement at the base of the bill. Sensory pits at the tip of the bill allow the snipe to feel its prey deep in the mud.

• The clutch size of the Wilson's Snipe is almost always four eggs. The male snipe takes the first two chicks to hatch and leaves the nest with them. The female takes the last two and cares for them. Apparently the parents have no contact after that point.

Description

• Size: 27-32 cm (11-13 in)
• Wingspan: 41-44 cm (16-17 in)
• Weight: 79-146 g (2.79-5.15 ounces)

• Medium-sized shorebird.
• Very long bill.
• Short legs.
• Brown with boldly striped back and head.

• Crown striped black and buff.
• Tail rusty red.
• Back black, brown, and gray, with pale stripes down back.
• Underparts mostly white, with neck and breast heavily streaked with brown.
• Barring along sides and flanks.
• Bill dark brown at tip, reddish brown at base.
• Eyes dark brown.
• Legs greenish yellow or bluish gray.

Sex Differences

Sexes look similar, but females have longer bills and shorter tails.

Immature

Juvenile like adult, but feathers with larger pale edges to body feathers.

Similar Species

• American Woodcock similar, but lacks bold stripes down the back, has a larger head and eye, has black bars across crown, is plain orange-buff underneath, and has more rounded wings.
• Dowitchers have longer legs, lack the stripes on the back and down the crown, and have a white rump and up the back.

Sound

Display call a harsh "tuk-a-tuk-a-tuk&" Winnowing a hollow "hu-hu-hu" sound. Makes rasping "scaipe" when flushed.

»listen to songs of this species

Range

Summer Range

Breeds across Alaska and Canada, southward to central California, Colorado, Wisconsin, northern Ohio, and southern Maine.

Winter Range

Winters from southern Canada southward to South America and the Caribbean.

Habitat

Breeds in bogs, fens, swamps, and around the marshy edges of ponds, rivers, and brooks. Forages in marshes, wet meadows, wet fields, and the marshy edges of streams and ditches.

Food

Larval insects, worms, crustaceans, mollusks, some vegetation and seeds.

Behavior

Foraging

Probes in soil and mud, frequently sticking entire bill, and sometimes its head, under water. Swallows small items without withdrawing its bill.

Reproduction

Nest Type

Neat, woven cup of grasses placed on ground, often in hummock of grass close to or surrounded by water.

Egg Description

Dark or pale brown, covered by darker spots.

Clutch Size

Usually 4 eggs. Range: 2-4.

Condition at Hatching

Downy chicks leave nest soon after hatching.

Conservation Status

Common. Hunted in many places.

Other Names

Bécassine de Wilson (French)
Agachona común, Becasina chillona (Spanish)
Common Snipe (English)

Sources used to construct this page:

Mueller, H. 1999. Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago). In The Birds of North America, No. 417 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.