AL Common Snipe Hunting Guide

Also known as: Wilson's snipe, jacksnipe

The common snipe is a small, stocky wader native to the Old World, where it breeds in marshes, bogs, tundra and wet meadows. It is usually shy and well-camouflaged, foraging in soft mud mainly for insects and earthworms but also some plant material. During courtship, males perform a "winnowing" display; flying high in circles and then taking shallow dives to produce a "drumming" sound by vibrating the tail feathers.

Habitat & Range

The breeding habitats aremarshes,bogs,tundraandwet meadowsthroughout thePalearctic. In the north, the distribution limit extends from Iceland over the north of the British Isles and northernFennoscandia, where it occurs at around 70°N, as well as through European Russia and Siberia. Here it is mostly on the northern edge of the Taiga zone at 71°N, but reaches 74°N on the east coast of theTaymyr Peninsula. In the east it extends to Anadyr,[clarification needed]Kamchatka,Bering Islandand theKuril Islands, The southern boundary of the distribution area in Europe runs throughnorthern Portugal, centralFrance,northern Italy,Bulgaria, andUkraine, with populations in the west being only very scattered. In Asia, the distribution extends south to northernTurkestan, locally toAfghanistanand the Middle East, through theAltaiand further toManchuriaandUssuri. It ismigratory, with European birds wintering in southern and western Europe andAfrica(south to the Equator), and Asian migrants moving to tropicalsouthern Asia.

Life History

Gallinago gallinago faroeensisGallinago gallinago gallinago Scolopax gallinagoLinnaeus, 1758; Capella gallinago(Linnaeus, 1758) Thecommon snipe(Gallinago gallinago, formerly also known asGallinago cælestis) is a small, stockywadernative to theOld World, where it breeds in marshes, bogs, tundra and wet meadows. It is usually shy and well-camouflaged, foraging in soft mud mainly for insects and earthworms but also some plant material. During courtship, males perform a "winnowing"display; flying high in circles and then taking shallow dives to produce a "drumming" sound by vibrating the tailfeathers. Adults are 25–27 cm (9.8–10.6 in) in length with a 44–47 cm (17–19 in) wingspan and a weight of 80–140 g (2.8–4.9 oz) (up to 180 g (6.3 oz) pre-migration). They have short greenish-grey legs and a very long (5.5–7 cm (2.2–2.8 in)) straight dark bill. The body is mottled brown with straw-yellow stripes on top and pale underneath. They have a dark stripe through the eye, with light stripes above and below it. The wings are pointed.[6][7] The common snipe is the most widespread of several similar snipes. It most closely resembles theWilson's snipe(G. delicata) of North America, which was until recently considered to be a subspecies –G. g. delicata– of the common snipe. They differ in the number of tail feathers, with seven pairs inG. gallinagoand eight pairs inG. delicata; the North American species also has a slightly thinner white trailing edge to the wings (the white is mostly on the tips of the secondaries).[8][9]Both species breed in theAleutian Islands.[6]It is also very similar to thepin-tailed snipe(G. stenura) andSwinhoe's snipe(G. megala) of eastern Asia; identification of these species there is complex.[10] The subspeciesfaeroeensisis normally more richly toned on the breast, its upperparts and the head than the nominategallinago.[11]

Status, Trends & Threats

Overall, the species is not threatened. Populations on the southern fringes of the breeding range in Europe are however declining withlocal extinctionin some areas (notably in parts of England and Germany), mainly due to field drainage and agricultural intensification.[6] TheAgreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA)applies to the species.[15]

Hunting Season

Nov 15 - Feb 28.

References

• Alabama — Common Snipe