Great Snipe

Gallinago media (Latham, 1787) DS GRESN 5200
Family: Charadriiformes > Scolopacidae

Great Snipe is a rare autumn visitor to our shores, with most records falling from August to October. Arriving from Scandinavia and eastern Europe, most reports come from the Northern Isles and east coast. The number of records has declined markedly in recent years.

Select a topic for more facts and statistics about the Great Snipe

  • Breeding
  • Winter
263 records observations recorded by BTO surveyors
263 records

BTO RECORDS

263 records observations recorded by BTO surveyors
263 records

BTO RECORDS

Identification

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Status and Trends

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

CONSERVATION STATUS

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

POPULATION SIZE

We have no population estimates for this scarce species.

DISTRIBUTION

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

Great Snipe breeding distribution 2008-11
Britain and Ireland Breeding Distribution 2008-2011.
More from the Atlas Mapstore.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Movement

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

RINGING RECOVERIES

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.

Biology

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

PRODUCTIVITY & NESTING

Sample sizes are too small to report Productivity and Nesting statistics for this species.

BIOMETRICS

Sample sizes are too small to report Biometrics for this species.

Feather measurements and photos on featherbase

CODES & CLASSIFICATION

For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name

Welsh: Gïach Mawr
Catalan: becadell reial
Czech: bekasina vetší
Danish: Tredækker
Dutch: Poelsnip
Estonian: rohunepp
Finnish: heinäkurppa
French: Bécassine double
German: Doppelschnepfe
Hungarian: nagy sárszalonka
Icelandic: Heiðasnípa
Irish: Naoscach Mhór
Italian: Croccolone
Latvian: (kikuts), kuitals
Lithuanian: paprastasis stulgys
Norwegian: Dobbeltbekkasin
Polish: (bekas) dubelt
Portuguese: narceja-real
Slovak: mociarnica tichá
Slovenian: coketa
Spanish: Agachadiza real
Swedish: dubbelbeckasin
Folkname: Solitary Snipe

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