Superbly camouflaged, the Wilson's snipe is an unobtrusive shorebird that can be difficult to see. Formerly considered the same species as the common snipe found in Europe, Asia and Africa, the Wilson's snipe is now exclusive to North and South America.

Common Name:

Wilson's Snipe, Common Snipe

Scientific Name:

Gallinago delicata

Scientific Family:

Scolopacidae

Appearance:

• Bill: Extremely long (twice the head length or longer), straight, flexible tip, dark but lighter at the base

• Size: 10.5 inches long with 18-20-inch wingspan, pointed wings, relatively short legs
• Colors: Buff, brown, black, white, orange, pale green, pale yellow
• Markings: Genders are similar though female birds are slightly larger. The back is dark brown with four prominent white or buff stripes down the length. The chest and flanks are white but have heavy dark brown barring or speckling. The head has a bold pattern of light and dark stripes, and the dark eyes are set far back on the face and connected to the bill with thin dark lores. The abdomen is white, and the legs are pale yellow or pale green. The tail is orange but the color is rarely seen on perched birds. In flight, the tail is more visible and the wings appear plain compared to the heavily marked body. Juvenile birds have the same markings as adults, but may show more buff than white in their markings. Species is monotypic.

Foods:

Mollusks, worms, larvae, seeds, insects (See: Molluscivorous)

Habitat and Migration:

These shorebirds prefer wet and grassy freshwater or brackish habitats such as bogs, marshes and swamps, as well as the edges of ponds and wet ditches or slow areas of rivers, especially where sandbars are present.

They can be found year-round in the Pacific Northwest from the southern tip of Alaska to northern California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado. In summer, the Wilson's snipe's breeding range extends throughout Alaska and Canada and as far south in the United States as northern Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and the Northeast. In winter, these shorebirds are found throughout the central and southern United States, Central America and northern South America in Colombia and Venezuela. They are also regularly seen in the Caribbean, and rare vagrants are recorded in Europe, particularly in autumn and winter, though there is some concern that vagrant sightings may actually be misidentifications of the common snipe.

Vocalizations:

While these birds are generally quite quiet and elusive, their harsh “tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk” call has many syllables and can be heard during the breeding season. They also have a rapid, hollow, “hu-hu-hu” sound made from the air through their tail feathers during dives as part of courtship displays.

Behavior:

The Wilson's snipe is a solitary, reclusive bird that may stay crouched and still until observers are quite close, and when it flushes it will fly in a zig zag pattern to escape. They forage by probing through water and mud with their sensitive bills, often pressing the entire length of their bill into the dirt as they seek prey. When foraging in areas with shallow water, they may even put their heads underwater while feeding, and they frequently bob their bodies while feeding.

Reproduction:

These shorebirds build a simple cup-shaped nest on or very close to the ground. The eggs, 2-4 per brood, vary from pale tan to darker brown and are flecked with dark spots. The female parent will incubate the eggs for 18-20 days, and after hatching, the precocial young are split between their parents, with both the male and female adults taking 1-2 hatchlings to care for separately. The young birds stay with their parent for 15-21 days until their first flight. Only one brood is raised per year.

Attracting Wilson's Snipes:

These shorebirds, because of their reclusive behavior, are not backyard birds. They can be attracted to rural areas or suburban areas where suitable wet habitat exists, however, particularly if there are small, shallow rivers or streams nearby with muddy banks for adequate foraging. Water management practices to preserve that habitat can encourage Wilson's snipes to stay nearby.

Conservation:

Because Wilson's snipes can thrive in a variety of wet habitats, even without large individual ranges, they are not considered threatened in any way. Many states do classify these birds as game birds, however, and hunting must be carefully regulated to control the snipe's population. Preservation of wet but shallow habitats is also essential to give these birds plenty of space with adequate cover for security.

Similar Birds:

• Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
• American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)
• Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola)
• Long-Billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)
• Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus)

Photo – Wilson's Snipe © Kathy & Sam