How to Identify Snipes

You think you are all alone one summer day, enjoying a walk near a marsh, when you are startled by a loud noise as you move forward through the wet grass. You spot a brown and white bird overhead and you wonder what just happened. That bird could have been a Snipe. Learn about these birds with the ability to camouflage themselves, so next time you are at the marsh, you know what to expect.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Learn about the habitats of the snipes. The most widespread snipe, the Common Snipe or Wilson's Snipe, is found throughout North America. Wilson's Snipe lives mostly in grassy areas that tend to be moist or wet, such as swamps and marshes. Wilson's Snipe is considered a shorebird as well.

2. Observe the appearance of the Wilson's Snipe. It is stocky with short legs that are greenish, yellowish or grayish in color. Wilson's Snipe is predominantly brown on its upper parts, with a striped back, head and crown. The under parts are white and the neck and breast of Wilson's Snipe has brown streaks. The bill is very long, often with a dark brown tip and a reddish base. Their tails are a rust-red and square in shape; their eyes are dark brown. The pointed wings are dark brown and black. Female Wilson's Snipes have shorter tails and longer bills than males. Juvenile Wilson's Snipes look similar to adult snipes, except their feathers have paler edges.

3. Take note of the size of Wilson's Snipe. Wilson's Snipe is a medium sized bird, measuring between 27 and 32 cm in length. Wilson's Snipes weigh approximately 79 to 146 g, and has a wingspan of 41 to 44 cm.

4. Listen to the sounds of the Wilson's Snipe. The Wilson's Snipe's call is a harsh sound similar to "wheat-wheat-wheat," and it makes a rasping sound when flushed out from grasses.

5. Observe the behavior of Wilson's Snipe. Because of its plumage, Wilson's Snipe can easily camouflage itself in grasses. Usually, a Wilson's Snipe is not even spotted until it's flushed out from the grassy habitat. When taking off for flight, the Wilson's Snipe flies an erratic, zig-zag pattern. Once in the air, Wilson's Snipe is a very direct flier with rapid beating wings.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't confuse Wilson's Snipe with another group of shorebirds, the Dowitchers. Dowitchers don't have stripes on their crowns or backs, they have longer legs than snipes and are white from their tails to the middle of their backs.
• The other less common types of snipe are the Pin-tailed Snipe and the Jack Snipe. Use a bird field guide to identify these rare birds.

Resources

• All About Birds from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Information on identifying birds
• National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America