Wilson's Snipe

Gallinago delicata

Introduction

The North American counterpart of Common Snipe and widely distributed there, Wilson's Snipe remains an extremely rarely reported species in Britain & Ireland. One reason for the very low number of accepted reports is that the two species look so similar – the number of tail feathers being a key distinguishing feature!

Key Stats

Status

Very rare

Weight

115g

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

209 records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

No current data

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

Open Close

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

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

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

Population Size

Open Close

BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Isles of Scilly, 1998 (Antrim, 1991)

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

Population Change

Open Close

Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

Open Close

This species is a rare vagrant and was recorded during Bird Atlas 2007–11 as shown on the map.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

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

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

0.03%

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.

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.

Distribution Change

Open Close

This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Seasonality

Open Close

This species has been too rarely reported to BirdTrack during 2011–22 to properly assess seasonality.

Movement

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

Britain & Ireland movement

Open Close

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

Open Close

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.

Biology

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

Survival and Longevity

Open Close

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.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Wilson's Snipe

Classification and Codes

Open Close

Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Scientific name: Gallinago delicata
Authority: Ord, 1825

BTO 5-letter code: WILSN
Euring code number: 5192

Alternate species names

Open Close

Catalan: becadell de Wilson
Danish: Amerikansk Bekkasin
Dutch: Amerikaanse Watersnip
Estonian: ameerika tikutaja
Finnish: amerikantaivaanvuohi
French: Bécassine de Wilson

German: Wilsonbekassine
Hungarian: amerikai sárszalonka
Italian: Beccaccino nordamericano
Latvian: Kanadas merkazina
Lithuanian: amerikinis perkuno oželis
Norwegian: Indianerbekkasin

Polish: bekas amerykanski
Portuguese: narceja-de-wilson
Slovak: mociarnica krátkokrídla
Spanish: Agachadiza de Wilson
Swedish: wilsonbeckasin

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.