Jack Snipe

Lymnocryptes minimus

Introduction

Much smaller than Snipe this winter visitor is seldom seen, its patterned plumage providing perfect camouflage in marshy grassland.

Also called the 'half-snipe' because of its smaller size, this species is a winter visitor, with most birds reported from October through to April. Historically hunted alongside Snipe, it was less popular sport thanks to its habit of flying quickly back to the ground.

Similar to the Common Snipe in behaviour and habits, Jack Snipe is almost certainly commoner than most realise. Only a few WeBS counts manage double figures but atlas projects show records are widely distributed across the UK.

Key Stats

Scarce

58.7g

4-4

<1%

BTO Records

59k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

110k

68.8% expansion

Identification

Curated resources to aid in the identification of Jack Snipe

ID Videos

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This section features BTO training videos headlining this species, or featuring it as a potential confusion species.

Common and Jack Snipe

Songs and Calls

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Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Jack Snipe, provided by xeno-canto contributors.

Song:

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

UK Birds of Conservation Concern

Green listed

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

Listed on the Annexes of*

WBD(II* & III*), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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UK (winter)

110 thousand (2004-/5)

Source

BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Recorded in Medieval times

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Jack Snipe is solely a winter visitor and passage migrant in the UK, with no confirmed breeding records Frost et al. 2021]. The trend generated through [WeBS shows large fluctuations, likely due to the small numbers that are recorded each year, despite it having a widespread lowland distribution [Frost et al. 2021].

Distribution

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Wintering Jack Snipes are associated with the coastal fringe and damp lowland wetlands and occur throughout the UK. Their secretive nature means they are probably under-recorded in many areas.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

1217

% occupied in winter

40%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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Since the 1981–84 Winter Atlas, the number of occupied 10-km squares has increased by 71% in Britain, but by only 29% in Ireland, a difference that may stem from the greater number of observers in Britain.

Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

68.8 %

Bird Atlas distribution change maps show how bird distributions have changed through time. Coloured upward-pointing triangles show places apparently colonised over the period; grey downward-pointing triangles show places apparently vacated. Shading show places occupied.

Winter Distribution change for Jack Snipe

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Seasonality

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Jack Snipes are winter visitors, present from late September to April.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Jack Snipe movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

The Eurasian-African Migration Atlas shows movements of individual birds ringed or recovered in Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Jack Snipe, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Productivity and Nesting

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Nesting timing

Typical (exceptional) number of broods

Source

Egg measurements

Typical length x width

38x27 mm

Mass (% shell)

14g (5%)

Source

Clutch Size

Typical number

4-4 eggs

Observed minimum and maximum

3-4 eggs

Source

Incubation

Incubation by

Female

Typical duration

24-17 days

Source

Fledging

Type of chick

Precocial, downy

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

lifespan

Typical life expectancy of bird reaching breeding age

with breeding typically at 2 years

Source

Maximum age from a ringed bird

9 years, 4 months, 17 days (set in 1981)

Biometrics

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Wing length and body weights are from live birds (source).

Wing length

Average ±1 std deviation; range and sample size in brackets.

Juvenile

115.1±3.4 mm

(110-121 mm, N=160)

All adults

115.5±3.6 mm

(110-121 mm, N=217)

Body weight

Average ±1 std deviation; range and sample size in brackets.

Juvenile

115.1±3.4 mm

(110-121 mm, N=160)

All adults

115.5±3.6 mm

(110-121 mm, N=217)

Ring Size

B+

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Jack Snipe

Classification and Codes

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Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Scientific name: Lymnocryptes minimus
Authority: Brünnich, 1764

BTO 2-letter code: JS
BTO 5-letter code: JACSN
Euring code number: 5180

Alternate species names

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Catalan: becadell sord
Czech: slucka malá
Danish: Enkeltbekkasin
Dutch: Bokje
Estonian: mudanepp
Finnish: jänkäkurppa
French: Bécassine sourde
Gaelic: Gobhrag-bheag

German: Zwergschnepfe
Hungarian: kis sárszalonka
Icelandic: Dvergsnípa
Irish: Naoscach Bhídeach
Italian: Frullino
Latvian: vistilbe
Lithuanian: oželis nykštukas
Norwegian: Kvartbekkasin

Polish: bekasik
Portuguese: narceja-galega
Slovak: mociarnicka tichá
Slovenian: puklež
Spanish: Agachadiza chica
Swedish: dvärgbeckasin
Welsh: Gïach Fach

English folkname(s): St Martin's/Half Snipe, Judcock

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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