Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Common Snipe

Common Snipe

Gallinago gallinago

The Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago, is a small, stocky wader, part of the Scolopacidae family. It is a bird that is well adapted to its wetland habitats, with a mottled brown plumage adorned with straw-yellow stripes on its back and a paler underside. Its most distinctive feature is the very long, straight dark bill, measuring between 5.5 and 7 cm, which it uses to probe the soft mud for food. Adults measure 25–27 cm in length, with a wingspan of 44–47 cm, and weigh between 80–140 g, occasionally reaching up to 180 g prior to migration.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Common Snipe, look for the dark eye stripe bordered by lighter stripes above and below. Its wings are pointed, and it has short greenish-grey legs. The flight is characterized by rapid, zig-zag patterns accompanied by a sharp "scape" call when flushed.

Habitat

The Common Snipe frequents marshes, bogs, tundra, and wet meadows across the Palearctic, finding solace in the dense vegetation of these wetlands.

Distribution

This species breeds across a vast range from Iceland and the British Isles to northern Fennoscandia, through European Russia and Siberia, extending east to Anadyr, Kamchatka, Bering Island, and the Kuril Islands. Its southern range in Europe includes parts of Portugal, France, Italy, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, while in Asia, it reaches northern Turkestan, Afghanistan, and the Middle East. The Common Snipe is migratory, with European birds wintering in southern and western Europe and Africa, and Asian migrants heading to tropical southern Asia.

Behaviour

The Common Snipe is a master of camouflage, often remaining undetected until one is nearly upon it. It exhibits a unique "winnowing" display during courtship, where the male flies high and dives to produce a drumming sound with its tail feathers, reminiscent of a bleating sheep or goat.

Song & Calls

The call when flushed is a sharp "scape." The drumming sound produced during the male's display flight is a distinctive, breathy vibration that carries across its habitat.

Breeding

Nesting occurs in well-hidden ground locations. The female lays four dark olive eggs, blotched with brown, and incubates them for 18–21 days. Chicks are adorned in dark maroon down and are cared for by both parents, with fledging occurring in 10–20 days.

Similar Species

The Common Snipe is similar to the Wilson's Snipe (G. delicata) of North America, the Pin-tailed Snipe (G. stenura), and Swinhoe's Snipe (G. megala) of eastern Asia. It can be distinguished by the number of tail feathers and the width of the white trailing edge on the wings.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists primarily of insects and earthworms, with some plant material. The snipe forages by probing soft mud with its long bill or by picking up food by sight.

Conservation Status

The Common Snipe is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, populations on the southern edges of its range are declining due to habitat loss from field drainage and agricultural intensification. It is protected under the AEWA and is still hunted as a gamebird in many areas.

Common Snipe Sounds



Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Common Snipe Fun Facts

Did you know?
Common Snipes have a very flexible beak with nerve endings at the end that helps them find food in mud.

Common Snipes on Birda

Sightings

Similar species

A photo of a Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus)

Jack Snipe

Lymnocryptes minimus
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Erna M
I really like Birda
I really like Birda. I also use other birding apps and have Birda with E-bird going at the same time.
Abi.M
Awesome App
I really enjoy using this app! It is such a friendly community of bird-lovers who are happy to help if I need ID advice. It’s been great motivation to get outdoors and go birding more! 10/10 😍😍
Nicole
Gets me outdoors more
I'm still loving this app. I use it most days & gets me outdoors more. Enjoying watching others progress and photo's, it's improved my wellbeing.... I love this app! I can keep a record of sightings and see what others have seen too.
Marlster24
Very Wholesome App
Joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😄
Hip An
Fantastic
Really enjoying Birda where I live i have a lot of Red kites really hard to photograph but I can video are you planning some place on the app where us Birda can post vids🦉🦅
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.