From Opus

Photo by IanF
Dormans Pool, Billingham, UK

Gallinago gallinago

[edit] Identification

Brown back with creamy stripes. Striped head with cream central stripe. White belly, barred flanks. Long bill.

[edit] Distribution

Breeds in northern Palearctic; winters in southern Europe, Africa, and Asia.

[edit] Taxonomy

Formerly contained Wilson's Snipe (delicata), now recognized as a full species.

[edit] Subspecies¹

• G. g. faeroeensis - breeds in Iceland, Faroe Islands, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands; winters to British Isles
• G. g. gallinago - protected by AEWA²; breeds in N Palearctic and Aleutian Islands; winters to Africa, India, Indonesia

[edit] Habitat

The breeding habitat is marshes, bogs, tundra and wet meadows in Iceland, the Faroes, northern Europe and Russia.

[edit] Behaviour

This well camouflaged bird is usually shy and conceals itself close to ground vegetation and flushes only when approached closely. They fly off in a series of aerial zig-zags to confuse predators.

Common Snipe nest in a well-hidden location on the ground.

[edit] Vocalisation

The song has been described as "Chipper Chipper."

[edit] Reference

1. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
2. Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds.

Wikipedia

[edit] External Links

• A thread describing the differences between this species and Wilson's Snipe is found [here]