Great Snipe
Gallinago media
The Great Snipe (Gallinago media) is a uncommon sandpiper found in 64 countries, weighing about 170 g. The great snipe is a small stocky wader in the genus Gallinago.
About the Great Snipe
The great snipe is a small stocky wader in the genus Gallinago. This bird's breeding habitat is marshes and wet meadows with short vegetation in north-eastern Europe, including north-western Russia. Great snipes are migratory, wintering in Africa. The European breeding population is in steep decline.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
At 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. The body is mottled brown on top and barred underneath. They have a dark stripe through the eye. The wings are broad, and a pale wingbar is visible in flight. The voice is described as a faint yeah. Mating display calls of groups can be heard at long distances (more than 300 m (330 yd)) and sound like a mixture of firecracker wind-up xylophone sounds.
What the Great Snipe sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, South Africa, Algeria, Ghana, Croatia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gambia, Tunisia, India, Saudi Arabia.
When to see it
Best months: May, June, August, September, with peak activity in May. It is a summer visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Great Snipe?
- At 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. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Great Snipe?
- The Great Snipe is a medium sized bird weighing about 170 g.
- Where can you see a Great Snipe?
- The Great Snipe occurs in 64 countries, including Sweden, Norway, Finland, France and Russia.
- What does a Great Snipe sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Great Snipe on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Great Snipe?
- The Great Snipe is most easily confused with the African Snipe, the Pin-tailed Snipe and the Pantanal Snipe.
- Is the Great Snipe endangered?
- The Great Snipe is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Great Snipe for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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