Bird Guide

Latham's Snipe vs Pin-tailed Snipe

Latham's Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii)

Latham's Snipe

Gallinago hardwickii

Medium151 gUrban

The snipe is 29–33 cm long, with a wingspan of 50–54 cm and weight of 150–230 g. It is identifiable as a Gallinago snipe by its cryptically-patterned black, brown, buff and white plumage. However, in the field it is not easily distinguished from Swinhoe's snipe and the pin-tailed snipe, though it is slightly larger.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Donald Hobern from Copenhagen, Denmark · CC BY 2.0
Pin-tailed Snipe (Gallinago stenura)

Pin-tailed Snipe

Gallinago stenura

Medium113 gWetland

This 25–27 cm long bird is similar to the longer-billed and longer-tailed common snipe. Adults have short greenish-grey legs and a long straight dark bill. The body is mottled brown on top, with cream lines down their back. They are pale underneath with a streaked buff breast and white belly. They have a dark stripe through the eye, with light stripes above and below it. Sexes are similar, and immatures differ only in minor plumage details. The wings are less pointed than common snipe, and lack the white trailing edge of that species.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Pin-tailed Snipe
Recorded by Jochem Verweij · Flight call · Ögiy, O'giinuur, Arkhangai, Mongolia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) · CC BY 3.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Latham's Snipe and Pin-tailed Snipe.