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8

Latham's Snipe

(Gallinago hardwickii)
Alternate name(s): "Australian Snipe", "Common Snipe", "Japanese Snipe", "Jack Snipe", "Long-bill", "Bleater"
Aboriginal name(s): "tiRmkalk" [yartwatjali], "tjimkalk" [djapwurrung], "tapiyalk" [western djadjawurrung]

Size: 27-30 cm; wing span 50-54 cm
Weight: 150-230 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Latham's Snipe at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

NON-BREEDING

Frontal view of a Latham's Snipe in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Greenwood Lakes, Forestdale, Brisbane, QLD, August 2018]

Lateral view of a Latham's Snipe in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, October 2017]

Lateral view of a Latham's Snipe in non-breeding plumage; note the apparent difference in colours compared to the photo above, which shows the same bird (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, October 2017]

Lateral view of a Latham's Snipe in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eagleby Wetlands, near Brisbane, QLD, November 2020]

Lateral view of Latham's Snipes in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Greenwood Lakes, Forestdale, Brisbane, QLD, August 2018]

Lateral view of Latham's Snipes in non-breeding plumage foraging along the edge of a lake (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Greenwood Lakes, Forestdale, Brisbane, QLD, August 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Latham's Snipe in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Greenwood Lakes, Forestdale, Brisbane, QLD, August 2018]

Dorsal view of a Latham's Snipe in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Greenwood Lakes, Forestdale, Brisbane, QLD, August 2018]

Three Latham's Snipes in non-breeding plumage on the fringes of a lake (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, October 2017]

Three Latham's Snipes in non-breeding plumage on the fringes of a lake (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2012]

Ventral view of a Latham's Snipe in flight
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, November 2017]

Near-dorsal view of Latham's Snipe in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2017]

Dorsal view of Latham's Snipe in non-breeding plumage preparing to land; note the characteristic tail
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, December 2013]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: ? Mobility: Migratory Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Latham's Snipe is very shy and easily flushed, often at distances of up to 50 m.

Partly obscured lateral view of Latham's Snipe in cryptic posture
[Narrabri, NSW, November 2019]

Partly obscured lateral view of Latham's Snipe in cryptic posture
[Narrabri, NSW, November 2019]

Outside their breeding season, Latham's Snipe are very specific in their choice of habitat; we have so far ONLY found them on narrow muddy margins around fresh water, ALWAYS shielded from view by reeds or weeds, such as the plants shown here - checking this spot for about 10 minutes we could not find a bird hiding there (while seeing ducks and other bird species wading along the water's edge), but when finally approaching flushed two snipes
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2017]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

latsnip_20210513.m4a (NW NSW) Contact calls(?) © MD
latsnip_20161221.m4a (NW NSW) Alarm calls © MD

More Latham's Snipe sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.