Noble Snipe
Gallinago nobilis
The Noble Snipe (Gallinago nobilis) is a rare sandpiper found in 3 countries, weighing about 192 g. The noble snipe is a small stocky wader.
About the Noble Snipe
The noble snipe is a small stocky wader. It breeds in the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela above or just below the treeline. It is entirely sedentary.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
This 30–32.5 cm long snipe has a stocky body and relatively short legs for a wader. Its upperparts, head and neck are streaked and patterned with dark brown and buff, and gold edges to the feathers form distinct lines down its back. The belly is white with brown barring on the flanks. The horn-coloured bill is very long and straight. The legs and feet are greyish-green. The sexes are similar, but females are longer billed; immature birds differ only in showing pale fringes on the wing coverts. The noble snipe has a clear melodious call.
What the Noble Snipe sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Noble Snipe can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Noble Snipe?
- This 30–32.5 cm long snipe has a stocky body and relatively short legs for a wader. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Noble Snipe?
- The Noble Snipe is a medium sized bird weighing about 192 g.
- Where can you see a Noble Snipe?
- The Noble Snipe occurs in 3 countries, including Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.
- What does a Noble Snipe sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Noble Snipe on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Noble Snipe?
- The Noble Snipe is most easily confused with the Swinhoe's Snipe, the Puna Snipe and the Giant Snipe.
- Is the Noble Snipe endangered?
- The Noble Snipe is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Noble 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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