Sandpipers, Snipes and Phalaropes (Scolopacidae)
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) - HBW 3, p. 496
French: Bécassine des marais
German: Bekassine
Spanish: Agachadiza Común
Other common names: Fantail/Wilson Snipe
Taxonomy: Scolopax Gallinago Linnaeus, 1758, Sweden.
Genus formerly named Capella, as this name erroneously considered to pre-date Gallinago (see page 446). Forms superspecies with G. paraguaiae and perhaps G. nigripennis, which are sometimes included as subspecies of present species, but differences in size, outer tail feathers and quality of aerial “winnowing” suggest separate species status; G. macrodactyla may also belong to superspecies. Race delicata may constitute separate species; has 16 tail feathers, as opposed to usually 14 (sometimes 12, 16 or 18) in nominate; both forms breed nearby in .. View all taxonomy...
Genus formerly named Capella, as this name erroneously considered to pre-date Gallinago (see page 446). Forms superspecies with G. paraguaiae and perhaps G. nigripennis, which are sometimes included as subspecies of present species, but differences in size, outer tail feathers and quality of aerial “winnowing” suggest separate species status; G. macrodactyla may also belong to superspecies. Race delicata may constitute separate species; has 16 tail feathers, as opposed to usually 14 (sometimes 12, 16 or 18) in nominate; both forms breed nearby in Aleutians. Three subspecies currently recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- faeroeensis (C. L. Brehm, 1831) - Iceland, Faeroes, Orkney and Shetland; winters in British Is.
- gallinago (Linnaeus, 1758) - British Is, Scandinavia and W Europe through NC Eurasia to Kamchatka and W Aleutians, with isolated population from NE Afghanistan to N India; winters from W Europe, Mediterranean and equatorial Africa through Middle East, Arabia and Indian Subcontinent to E China, S Korea, S Japan, Philippines and W Indonesia.
- delicata (Ord, 1825) - E Aleutians and Alaska E through Canada to Newfoundland, and S to C California, New Mexico, C Iowa and New Jersey; winters from NW & C USA through Central America and Greater Antilles to N South America.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
-
Wilson's snipe calling from a fence post in Maine. © 2011 Garth McElroy Locality Maine, USA (United States) (ssp delicata)
wildbirdvideos 20 May 2011 27 weeks ago 41 sec 4.9 -
Foraging out in the open on the edge of a small freshwater pool. Locality Ventura County, California, USA (United States) (ssp delicata)
Don DesJardin 8 October 2008 3 years ago 39 sec 4.7 -
Two birds feeding on wet grass Locality Tauste, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain (ssp gallinago)
Jesús Laborda 9 October 2005 4 years ago 19 sec 4.5 -
An adult feeding at the edge of a pool Locality Quinta do Ludo, Algarve Region, Portugal (ssp gallinago)
Greg Baker 25 November 2009 32 weeks ago 32 sec 4.4 -
A close-up of a bird Locality Parikkala, Southern Finland Province, Finland
Javier Ortas 23 July 2010 1 year ago 31 sec 4.4 -
A bird feeding on mud Locality Tauste, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain (ssp gallinago)
Jesús Laborda 9 October 2005 4 years ago 12 sec 4.1
-
A common snipe feeding in shallow water- Another bird on the background
Locality Nazzano, Lazio Region, Italy
Fabio Giarrizzo 7 January 2011 1 year ago 4.3 -
The Snipe is very common in the Skaftafell national park. This one was quitely sleeping a few step away from one of the busiest
Locality Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland (ssp faeroeensis)
consuelo 12 June 2011 34 weeks ago 4.3 -
In the mud banks
Locality Abu Nakhla Ponds, Doha, Qatar
John A Thompson 10 October 2010 1 year ago 4.2 -
Just standing
Locality Abu Nakhla Ponds, Doha, Qatar
John A Thompson 11 November 2008 1 year ago 4.2 -
on the wetlands near Poznan (central Poland)
Locality Poland
kblach 18 September 2009 2 years ago 4.2 -
Standing in shallow farmland pond.
Locality Long Valley, Hong Kong
Bob Thompson 16 December 2007 2 years ago 4.2
-
In flight, typical call. Locality Essonne, Île-de-France, France
(ssp gallinago)
Julien Rochefort 14 November 2006 2 years ago 3
Email this page