Pin-tailed Snipe

The Pin-tailed Snipe, known scientifically as Gallinago stenura, is a bird of the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae. This species, with a length of 25–27 cm, is similar in appearance to the Common Snipe but can be distinguished by its shorter bill and tail.

Identification Tips

Adult Pin-tailed Snipes have short greenish-grey legs and a long, straight, dark bill. Their upperparts are mottled brown, adorned with cream lines down the back, while the underparts are pale with a streaked buff breast and a white belly. A dark stripe runs through the eye, flanked by lighter stripes above and below. Both sexes appear similar, and the differences in immature birds are subtle.

Habitat

During the breeding season, the Pin-tailed Snipe inhabits damp marshes and tundra in Arctic and boreal regions of Russia. In its non-breeding range, it frequents a variety of wetlands, often alongside the Common Snipe, but can also be found in drier habitats.

Distribution

The Pin-tailed Snipe breeds in northern Russia and migrates to southern Asia, from Pakistan to Indonesia, for the non-breeding season. It is a common migrant in southern India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia. Occasionally, it appears as a vagrant in north-western and northern Australia, and in Kenya, East Africa.

Behaviour

These birds forage by probing in mud or soft soil, or by picking up food by sight. They are known to nest in well-hidden ground locations.

Song & Calls

The male Pin-tailed Snipe is known for its group displays, producing a loud, repetitive 'tcheka' song that crescendos into fizzing and buzzing sounds. In flight, the pin-like outer tail feathers create whistling noises, which is the origin of the bird's name. Its normal call is a weak 'squik'.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Pin-tailed Snipe mainly consists of insects and earthworms, supplemented by some plant material.

Conservation Status

The Pin-tailed Snipe is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is not currently at significant risk of widespread decline.