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Wilson’s Snipe

Scientific Name:

Gallinago delicata

Type:

Bird

Habitat:

Riparian habitats, marshes and wetlands, along with wet pastures and agricultural fields are the preferred habitat of Wilson’s snipe.2,3

Range:

Wilson’s snipe can be found in most of North America through much of the year, but may migrate as far as Central America and Venezuela for the winter.3

Status:

Least Concern (IUCN Red List)

This species is

NATIVE

to the Truckee Meadows.

Identification:

Wilson’s snipe is a plump shorebird about the size of a Robin, with a straight bill almost as long as its body.2 With short legs Wilson’s snipe are about 10.6-12.6 inches in length, weighing 3 to 5 ounces, and have a wingspan of about 16 to 17 inches.3 On the ground the various tones of brown, tan, white and black of the Wilson’s snipe provide excellent camouflage, but in flight, the intricate patterns are on full display.3 The very long bill of has a flexible tip with sensory receptors, allowing these shorebirds to probe the mud and then grip and slurp up their dinner of worms, flies, snails, and other crustaceans.3 Wilson’s snipe are quite common, but also elusive and well camouflaged, thus you are more likely to spot them around dusk or during breeding season when they perform flights of circling, and diving to impress a mate and rebuff competitors.3 If you happen upon a Wilson’s snipe and flush them from the vegetation, they will fly away in their unique zigzagging pattern.3

Fast Facts:

  • What do you call a flock of Wilson’s Snipes- A wisp.2

  • At first glance one might dismiss Wilson’s snipe as rather pudgy, but under those feathers are extra-large pectoral muscles making the Wilson’s snipe very fast in flight at 60 mph!3

  • A “winnowing” or a haunted staccato sound is characteristic of Wilson’s snipe and is produced as the wind rushes over their tail feathers at speeds over 25 mph.3

  • With eyes set very far back on their head, Wilson’s snipe has nearly 360° of vision, which helps them evade predators.3

Sources:

  1. National Audubon Society

  2. Nevada Department of Wildlife

  3. Cornell Lab of Ornithology

  4. IUCN Red List

Contributor(s):

Regina O'Shea-Hockett, research & content

Dayna Genio, web edits

Last Updated:

July 23, 2024 at 8:44:13 PM

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