About the African Snipe
The African snipe also known as the Ethiopian snipe, is a small stocky wader. It breeds in eastern and southern Africa in wet mountain moorland and swamps at altitudes of 1,700–4,000 m (5,600–13,100 ft). When not breeding it disperses widely, including into coastal lowlands.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
This 30–32 cm (12–13 in) long snipe has a stocky body and relatively short legs for a wader. Its upperparts, head and neck are streaked and patterned with bold dark brown stripes and gold edges to the feathers forming lines down its back. The belly is white, with some brown barring on the flanks but never on the belly. The pinkish-brown bill is very long, straight and fairly robust. The legs and feet are yellowish-olive to greenish-grey. The sexes are similar, and immatures differ only in showing pale fringes on the wing coverts.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in November · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Pin-tailed SnipeGallinago stenuraThis 25–27 cm long bird is similar to the longer-billed and longer-tailed common snipe.
Great SnipeGallinago mediaAt 26–30 cm (10–12 in) in length and a 42–50 cm (17–20 in) wingspan, adults are only slightly larger, but much bulkier, than the common snipe and have a shorter bill.
Pantanal SnipeGallinago paraguaiaeThe adult Pantanal snipe is 26 to 30 cm (10 to 12 in) long.
Learn the African Snipe for real
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