Wilson's Snipe

Gallinago gallinagoOrder: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)

Codes: Common Name: COSN Scientific Name: GALGAL ITIS Taxonomic No.: 176700

Breeding Location:

Wetlands, Marshes, Grasslands, Lakes

Breeding Type:

Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Declining

Egg Color:

Olive to brown with brown splotches and spots

Number of Eggs:

Incubation Days:

18 - 20

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Lined with grasses.

Migration:

Migratory

General

Wilson's Snipe: Medium-sized sandpiper with brown and black mottled upperparts and distinct buff stripes on back. Underparts are white with dark bars on sides and flanks. Head, neck, and breast are heavily streaked. Wings are dark brown with nearly black primaries. Bill is long and straight. Tail is black with broad, red-brown central bar and white tip. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Wilson's Snipe: Breeds in northern U.S., Canada, and Eurasia. Spends winters as far south as northern South America and central Africa. Prefers freshwater marshes and swamps, frequents open landscapes.

Breeding and Nesting

Wilson's Snipe: Four olive to brown eggs with brown splotches and spots are laid in a ground scrape lined with grass. Incubation ranges from 18 to 20 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Wilson's Snipe: Feeds on insects and earthworms taken from mud by probing with its long bill.

Vocalization

Wilson's Snipe: On breeding grounds gives "wheat-wheat-wheat-wheat" sound.

Similar Species

Wilson's (Common) Snipe: American Woodcock is chunkier, has bars on crown instead of longitudinal stripes, lacks bars on flanks, and has richer brown underparts, including wing linings.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Wilson's Snipe

Wilson's Snipe: Medium sandpiper, brown and black mottled upperparts, buff stripes on back. White underparts, dark bars on sides, flanks. Heavily streaked head, neck, breast. Dark brown wings, nearly black primaries. Black tail with broad, red-brown central bar, white tip. Yellow-green legs, feet.

● Song: "wheat-wheat-wheat-wheat"

● Foraging & Feeding: Wilson's Snipe: Feeds on insects and earthworms taken from mud by probing with its long bill.

● Breeding & nesting: Wilson's Snipe: Four olive to brown eggs with brown splotches and spots are laid in a ground scrape lined with grass. Incubation ranges from 18 to 20 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Wilson's (Common) Snipe: American Woodcock is chunkier, has bars on crown instead of longitudinal stripes, lacks bars on flanks, and has richer brown underparts, including wing linings.

Flight Pattern

Zigzag flight on takeoff followed by direct flight with rapid wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Wilson's Snipe: Breeds in northern U.S., Canada, and Eurasia. Spends winters as far south as northern South America and central Africa. Prefers freshwater marshes and swamps, frequents open landscapes.

^BreedingSolitary nester

^PopulationDeclining

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight4.5 Ounces

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Primaries

The primaries are the flight feathers specialized for flight. They are attached to the "hand" equivalent part of the wing.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Wilson's Snipe

Breeding Location:

Breeding Type:

Breeding Population:

Egg Color:

Number of Eggs:

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Nest Material:

Migration:

Recommended Products:

General

Range and Habitat

Breeding and Nesting

Foraging and Feeding

Vocalization

Similar Species

Wilson's Snipe

Flight Pattern