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8

Common Snipe

(Gallinago gallinago)
German name(s): "Bekassine"
Size: 25-27 cm; wing span 44-47 cm
Weight: 80-140 g (up to 180 g pre-migration)

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 Common Snipe at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "gallinago"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Common Snipe foraging in shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, December 2017]

Near-frontal view of a Common Snipe (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Common Snipe (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Common Snipe foraging in shallow water (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Common Snipe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2013]

Lateral view of a Common Snipe (photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[20 km North of Lille, Hauts-de-France, France, November 2020]

Lateral view of a Common Snipe (photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Grand Voyeux, Seine et Marne, France, September 2021]

Lateral view of a Common Snipe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2013]

Lateral view of a Common Snipe (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2019]

Lateral view of a Common Snipe foraging in shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, December 2017]

Lateral view of a Common Snipe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2013]

Lateral view of a Common Snipe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2013]

Pair of Common Snipes on the bank of a river (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Snipe (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2013]

Comparison of a Common Snipe with a Common Sandpiper (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2019]

Comparison of a Common Snipe with a Green Sandpiper (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, March 2019]

Covey of Common Snipes in flight, showing their upperwings (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, November 2014]

Covey of Common Snipes in flight, showing their underwings (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, November 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a Common Snipe in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, January 2018]

Dorsal view of a Common Snipe in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2019]

Race "faeroeensis"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Lateral view of a Common Snipe in shallow water (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Fareham, Hampshire, England, September 2019]

Behaviour

Common Snipes making use of their excellent camouflage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, January 2018]

Common Snipes making use of their excellent camouflage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2018]

Common Snipes making use of their excellent camouflage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2018]

Common Snipe hiding from the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Embalse de Arrocampo, Caceres, Extremadura, Spain, December 2019]

Common Snipes resting by the water's edge (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Morraceira island, Figueira da Foz, Mondego estuary, Portugal, February 2023]

During the winter months Common Snipes can congregate in significant numbers (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil dam, Ponte de Sor, Evora, Portugal, October 2021]

Food, Diet

Common Snipe with its prey (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2019]

Common Snipes move their prey up with quick jerks (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2019]

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.

comsnip_jp_20201016.m4a gallinago
(Portugal)
Contact calls(?) © JP

More Common 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.