Jack Snipe

The Jack Snipe is a small stocky wader and the smallest of the snipe species. The body is mottled brown on top and pale underneath. It has a dark stripe through the eye. The wings are pointed and narrow and yellow back stripes are visible in flight. When seen, the distinctive bobbing movement, as if the bird is on springs, has an almost hypnotic quality. The head pattern of the Jack Snipe differs from the Common Snipe in that there is no central crown stripe. Instead, there are 2 pale lateral crown stripes, which are separated from the supercilium by an area of dark plumage. The adult Jack Snipe is smaller than the Common Snipe and it has a relatively shorter bill. It is 7.1 to 9.8 inches in length with a wingspan of 12 to 16 inches.

The Jack Snipe breeds in the marshes, bogs, wet meadows and tundra of north Europe and north Russia. The male performs an aerial display during courtship when it makes a distinctive sound like a galloping horse. The nest is located in a well-hidden location on the ground.

The Jack Snipe is a migratory species and spends the non-breeding period in the UK, Atlantic and Mediterranean coastal Europe, Africa and India. It can be secretive in its non-breeding areas and difficult to observe, being well camouflaged in its habitat.

The Jack Snipe forages in soft mud, probing or picking up food by sight. It mainly eats insects and earthworms but also some plant material.

Date: 8th January 2019

Location: WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire