Snipe, bird, snipe bird, description of snipe, all about snipe, snipe. Snipe: bird photo What snipe birds look like
Snipe is a small bird from the order Charadriiformes, approximately the size of a hoopoe. Looking at the photo of a snipe, you can see that it is difficult to confuse it with other birds. Below are all the most interesting things about the snipe sandpiper.
A distinctive feature of the snipe is its beak, which is very long compared to the size of its body.
The body length of a snipe can reach 30 cm. The wingspan is up to 45 cm, and the body weight is on average 130 g.
The snipe's legs are short, and its beak is straight and very long. The eyes are large, slightly shifted towards the back of the head. Males and females have almost the same color. The belly is white, the top is motley. Reddish black feathers mixed with white feathers form a striped pattern.
Snipe habitat
This bird nests in temperate and subarctic zones of the Eurasian continent. In addition to the mainland, snipe nesting sites are common in the Faroe Islands, British Islands, Azores Islands, and also in Iceland. For the winter it flies to Africa, Asia and southern Europe. Also found in North America, from Labrador to Alaska.
Snipe lifestyle and nutrition
Snipe loves places with high humidity. Settles in meadows, river banks and lakes. It especially loves swampy areas overgrown with bushes, near rivers and lakes on marshy banks with dense vegetation.
This bird is active mainly at night and at dusk. During rest hours, it prefers to stay near the surface, hiding. In case of danger, it takes off from the surface with a sharp, abrupt “quack” and flies, abruptly changing direction.
However, the snipe rarely uses its ability to fly, and usually moves along the ground. Of course, this bird cannot do without wings at all. They are needed for flights to wintering grounds and back.
Snipes are an object of sport hunting. The snipe's diet consists of various invertebrates, such as snails, larvae, worms, and small beetles. His long, sharp beak, which he skillfully wields, helps him get all these living creatures out of the soil. Snipes are excellent swimmers. In search of food, they often dive under the surface of the water.
Breeding snipe
During the mating season, the male snipe looks for one partner with whom he forms a stable pair. At the lekking site, the snipe dives down from a height, making a peculiar cracking sound. This is how the male attracts the female. After such a fall, he sits on the surface and continues to chatter, emitting abrupt ringing sounds. If a female joins him, then we can assume that the pair is formed.
This pair is stable and does not break up until the end of the mating season. As a rule, only the female is in charge of the nest. The male only helps her care for the young.
The nest is usually a kind of hole in the soil, framed in a circle by branches and stems of grass. The female lays 4 to 5 eggs per clutch. The incubation period lasts about three weeks, after which the female takes care of the offspring, and the male stays nearby, ensuring the safety of the brood.
In case of danger, the male and female carry the chicks in their paws in flight to a certain safe distance. At the age of 21 days, the chicks are already learning to fly, and after a few weeks they become completely independent and leave the nest. After this, snipes begin to move south for the winter.
Snipe as a subject of hunting
Snipe has long been considered one of the most popular hunting objects among game birds. What makes hunting interesting is the caution and timidity of this bird. At the first danger, these birds prefer to retreat to reed thickets and other shelters.
Snipe- This is one of the main genus and family of animals of the same name. Along with numerous snails, woodcocks, sandpipers, godwits and phalaropes, this species represents an extensive snipe family, uniting more than ninety species units.
Common snipe
All these birds are small in size and attractive in appearance. In addition, almost all of them are incredibly valuable to hunters and poachers, which significantly reduces their numbers. What are the features snipe birds, and why is it considered such an indispensable trophy in the collection of every hunter?
Description and features
The bird discussed in this article is very small in size. The maximum height of an adult snipe is only 27-28 cm, and its body weight does not exceed 200 grams.
The name comes from the French word “sandpiper,” which allows us to judge the similarity of these birds with other species of shorebirds. Despite this, birds of the snipe family special and unique in their own way.
First of all, it is worth mentioning the beautiful plumage of birds. The color of their feathers resembles a motley pattern consisting of numerous patterns. The feathers themselves are light brown or reddish in color, which vaguely resembles the pattern on the wings of admiral butterflies. This plumage allows birds to lead a secretive lifestyle and camouflage well when danger approaches.
Like other members of their family, snipes have a long and thin beak, which helps them obtain food. The length of the beak in adults reaches 7-8 cm. Under some circumstances, birds are even able to slightly “bend” their beak. This is how they get the most difficult to reach food.
The birds' eyes are located on the sides, quite far from the beak. This allows snipes to navigate well in space and hide from predators or hunters in time. In addition, these birds, like many owls, are able to see their environment at 360 degrees.
The legs of snipes seem very thin and fragile, but they move quite quickly on them and, if necessary, can use their tenacious claws. The paws also help birds move through swampy or sandy areas.
Types of snipe
From snipe descriptions In general terms, let's move on to a more detailed consideration of the species of this family. Currently, there are about 20 species of these birds. Each of these species differs from the others in appearance, habitat and behavioral characteristics of its representatives.
Colored snipe (male left and female)
In this article we will talk only about the most striking of them. It is worth noting that the Common Snipe does not stand out as anything special, so its description completely coincides with the general characteristics of the bird family.
The most notable species are the Japanese, American, great and African snipe, as well as the mountain and forest snipe. What are the features and characteristics of representatives of each of these species?
Great snipe
Representatives of this species received their name precisely because of their gigantic size for snipes. Thus, their height is 40-45 cm, while their body weight reaches 450-500 grams. In the snipe family, these values are the largest, which is why this species is sometimes called the Giant.
Birds of this species have a fairly “dense” build and relatively short legs. Their wings have a rounded shape and a beautiful pattern. The color of their feathers for the most part does not differ from the plumage of other members of the family.
Great snipe
The light upper part of the body is covered with several dark stripes. Representatives with a yellow head and neck are often found. It is worth noting that female Great Snipes are no different in appearance from males. A person is able to determine the sex of a bird only by its behavior. These birds most often live and make seasonal migrations in small flocks of up to 6-7 individuals.
The habitat of representatives of this species is South America. The birds are widespread in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana. A small number of individuals are also found in Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay. The number of this species is quite high, so these birds do not need special protection.
American look
Representatives of this species live very close to the previously discussed Greater Snipes - in North America. Moreover, their wintering place is the warmer Southern continent.
The body volumes of these birds are standard for this family. Their height is relatively small - only 25-27 cm, but their body weight does not exceed 100 grams. The beak of these birds grows small: its length is only 5-6 cm. Such beak sizes are characteristic, for example, of Common Snipe chicks.
American Snipe (male on right)
The plumage of representatives of the American species can be called quite bright. There are feathers of greenish, blue, emerald, gray and dark brown colors. Relatively long legs are light green in color.
As far as standard patterns go, American Snipes have a slightly less distinctive pattern than other species in the family. The dark spots on the feathers are quite small in size and at the same time located close to each other, which creates the impression of negligence.
The chicks of this species become completely independent early on. It takes them less than a month to learn how to hunt and find the right shelter alone or with their own flock.
Japanese snipe
“Japanese” is the only species of the family that needs special protection. Even 30-40 years ago, the number of the species began to decline rapidly. Scientists from several countries took the necessary measures in time, thanks to which in the 90s of the 20th century the number of individuals increased slightly and stopped at a certain level.
Despite this, even today Russia, China, Korea and Japan strictly monitor the preservation of this population. The habitat of Japanese snipe is quite safe for them. Their natural enemies are foxes and raccoon dogs that live in local forests. The main “destroyers” of nests are crows.
The appearance of these birds cannot be called remarkable. They have typical light brown or gray plumage with dark spots on the back and neck. The height of the “Japanese” is 25-30 cm, body weight does not exceed 150-170 grams.
Japanese snipe
Due to the similarity of these birds to the Common species, they often become victims of inattentive hunters who kill them by mistake. There is a punishment for such murder.
The flight of representatives of this species is truly elegant. They have long legs and beautiful wings, which emit a characteristic “pop” when the birds take off. The main task of local residents is to protect the “Japanese” and increase the size of this population.
African species
African snipes live in the eastern and southern parts of Africa, which is why they are often called the Ethiopian species. These birds have adapted well to local climatic conditions. They are able to build their nests in desert areas and obtain food near local water bodies.
The physique of these birds is vaguely reminiscent of Great Snipes. They are quite low, have short legs and voluminous plumage. Dark stripes can be seen on the neck and head of the birds, while the body is covered with light brown feathers, and the belly is completely light yellow or white. The beak of representatives of this species is considered one of the longest in the family. He helps them get food in the dry soil of African lands.
African snipe
Like the “Japanese”, the African species is quite difficult to distinguish from ordinary snipe. Experienced hunters always notice the somewhat slow nature of the flight of the African species. On the ground, it is extremely difficult to distinguish birds from each other.
It is not easy for representatives of this species to build nests. However, even in desert areas they manage to dig small holes and place dry grass and leaves in them. In such dry and cozy shelters, the chicks feel protected.
Forest snipe (great snipe)
The snipe is a separate species of the snipe genus, significantly different from others. This is a fairly large bird, up to 30 cm tall, with a body weight of up to 150-180 grams. The main feature of great snipes is their wide wingspan, which can reach half a meter in length.
This bird is typical for temperate climate areas in Russia. The main areas of their distribution are Western and Eastern Siberia, as well as the Far East. In cold times, they migrate to warmer regions, for example, to Asian countries or Australia.
Forest snipe
That is, both dense forests with high vegetation (for example, in Siberia) and areas with low-story vegetation (steppes and forest-steppes of Australia) are acceptable for forest great snipes. These birds always strive to settle near a forest pond, where they can find damp and soft soil with coastal vegetation.
Despite this, great snipes build their nests in dry places and do not allow them to get wet. They constantly take care of their offspring, taking care of them and protecting them from predators. From birth, chicks learn to obtain their own food.
Unlike the Common Snipe, which makes characteristic “bleating” sounds when mating, wood snipes attract the attention of females with their “chirping” created by “popping” large feathers. Otherwise, the way of life of snipes does not differ from other snipes.
Mountain snipe (great snipe)
The mountain snipe ranks second in size among other members of the snipe family. Their height is 28-32 cm, and their body weight reaches 350-370 grams. They, like forest snipes, have a large wingspan, the length of which is 50-55 cm.
The mountain snipe species is characterized by a long tail and large, graceful feathers. The birds' heads are decorated with a long light stripe. The pattern on the feathers consists of mostly white patterns, unlike other snipes with dark stripes and spots.
Mountain snipe
The flight of mountain snipes resembles the flight of woodcocks. They slowly and carefully cover short distances, for fear of encountering a predator or hunter. Mountain great snipes are found in areas with a fairly warm climate - in Central Asia, in the Asian part of Russia, as well as in mountainous regions.
Representatives of this species feel comfortable at altitudes from 2,000 to 5,000 meters. They settle near mountain reservoirs, making their nests there. Mountain great snipes are one of the most adaptable birds of the snipe family, as they calmly tolerate changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure.
In the cold season, they can fly away to other territories, or they can remain for the winter in their permanent nests. The shores of the Northern Seas are considered the most common flight destination. There, mountain great snipes spend the night on the ice, located under the “hanging” snow, which protects them from external weather.
Bird lifestyle
As mentioned earlier, snipe lead a hidden lifestyle, preferring to stay awake and hunt at night. Forest predators and hunters pose a significant danger to birds, so in this case the art of camouflage and the ability to detect danger in time is extremely important. Snipes acquire such skills from childhood.
Despite the fact that these birds are excellent fliers and are even capable of capturing prey without landing, they more often lead a “terrestrial” lifestyle. Good claws and strong paws help them easily move along the swampy shores of reservoirs, and also not drown in sticky soil. In such areas, as a rule, birds look for food.
Most often, snipes settle in forests with low vegetation or in open clearings, near small bodies of water. They need the presence of thick grass, as well as dead wood and fallen leaves for high-quality camouflage.
It is worth noting that snipes are migratory birds. They are not able to tolerate cold weather, so in the fall they fly to warmer climes with more comfortable conditions. However, they spend little time in areas with a warm climate: already with the first thaw they return to Earth.
Habitat
Wheresnipes live? The answer to this question is an extremely extensive list of areas with different climates. Almost every species of this family has its own habitat. It is worth noting that only six species out of all existing ones are found in Russia.
Thus, snipes can be found in temperate climates in Russia, the CIS countries, European countries, Asia, South and North America, and on some islands. Even a fairly cold, subarctic climate is acceptable for these birds. For this reason, they can be found in Iceland.
Despite their unpretentiousness to a permanent “place of residence” for wintering, snipes choose territories with a warm and sometimes even hot climate. Most of them go to the tropical zone of Europe and Asia, to South America in the fall. Some species stop on the African continent. What can be said about the diet of these birds?
Nutrition
The main “tool” for obtaining food is the beak of birds, which allows not only to directly absorb it, but also to accurately detect it in the ground. An equally important role is played by the paws, which help the bird to move along the banks of reservoirs, where they get their food.
The peculiarity of the snipe's beak, also characteristic of woodcocks, allows them to “feel” the presence of worms and insects in the soil. Birds “immerse” their beaks in the soft ground and, with the help of special nerve endings that detect the slightest vibrations, grab their victims.
The most “popular” food product for snipes is the earthworm. Worms are also of great interest when feeding young animals that initially need care. Snipes also often consume insect larvae and small insects themselves hidden in the soil. Much less often, small crustaceans and even amphibians are present in their diet.
If it is impossible to find animal food, snipes consume various plants and their parts, most often roots and seeds. An interesting feature of these birds is that when eating plant food, they often swallow small grains of sand with it. It is believed that this makes it easier for them to digest what they eat.
"Marriage songs" of snipe
The breeding season is a special time in the life of snipe. It begins on the way of birds to their homeland when returning from warm regions. It is at this time that people are usually silent male snipe begin to actively attract the attention of females. Males arrive at their nests somewhat earlier than females and begin the so-called “current”, that is, an active struggle for females.
Female and male common snipe during mating season
To attract the attention of representatives of the “female sex,” males perform special songs and even dances. Birds circle beautifully above the ground and land spectacularly, while emitting a characteristic sound of snipe, somewhat reminiscent of the bleating of sheep. Because of this behavior, birds are often called “lambs.”
After this romantic dance, the male lands and continues his sonorous song on the ground. A few days later, the female pays attention to the lonely “singer”, and a pair of birds is formed.
Breeding snipe
The formed pair begins to search for the right place to place the nest. Male and female snipe They remain together only for the nesting period, so only the female is involved in incubating the eggs and caring for future chicks until a certain point.
However, it is worth noting that during the nesting “season” the male fertilizes only one bird, remaining after the eggs appear next to the nest and indicating to others that the territory is occupied by his female. This feature is characteristic only of representatives of this genus. Male woodcocks, for example, manage to fertilize from 4 to 7 females per season.
Snipe nest with eggs
Yours snipe nest built on the ground from dry branches and leaves. Dry grass “sinks” into a small depression in the ground. It is important that there is a body of water not far from the nest. Moreover, the higher the humidity of the area, the thicker the litter in the hole should be so that the female can provide the chicks with warmth and comfort.
Features of the offspring
Typically, the female lays four small eggs. It is noteworthy that the shells of the eggs are very similar to the color of the plumage of the snipes themselves. This allows you to successfully hide eggs from those who want to feast on them.
The shell is yellowish in color and covered with numerous dark spots. Sometimes females store their eggs together, but the reason for this behavior has not yet been clarified. The bird qualitatively protects its offspring, scaring away predators or diverting their attention to itself.
After 20 days of incubation, small chicks are born, already covered with slight fluff. The male and female care for the offspring together: they divide the brood into two parts and raise their chicks separately.
In the first month of life, the chicks remain rather helpless. Although they quickly leave the nest and learn to follow their parents, they are extremely defenseless against predators. Therefore, parents often have to take good care of their children, sometimes even carrying them in their paws.
Snipe chick
Little snipes become very similar to adults within two to three weeks after birth. They acquire the same feather coloring and learn how to properly hide from predators. Their only “feature” is their inability to fly.
However, the need to make long flights together with adults forces the chicks to quickly learn the art of flight. And already at the age of three months the birds are capable of independent flight.
Lifespan
A considerable part of the life of snipes is spent on their “becoming”. Little chicks need at least six months to get used to their own flock and lead an “adult” lifestyle.
Despite the fact that birds can fly well already at the age of three months, they are still somewhat dependent on their parents. And at the age of eight to nine months, when the time of autumn migration comes, small snipes are practically no different from adult birds.
The total lifespan of these birds is exactly 10 years. This is quite a significant period of time, during which snipes manage to do a lot, including having offspring several times.
However, a significant danger to birds is posed by their natural enemies and people, who influence the reduction in the number of almost all species of the snipe family.
Snipe hunting
As mentioned earlier, snipe are a valuable trophy not only for amateur hunters, but also for professionals. Snipe in the photo you can see its neat and very beautiful plumage. It is this that is the primary object for the sake of which birds are exterminated.
In addition, these birds are hunted for their long and graceful beak. Hunters decorate their rooms with it and always show it to their comrades. However, the birds we are considering are very cautious and shy.
Snipe in flight
They are vigilant about their surroundings and react sharply to extraneous sounds. For this reason, hunting dogs cannot catch them, and the hunters themselves lose their prey after the shot. Females protect the lives of their chicks with special attention, so it is almost impossible to steal snipe eggs from their nest.
The natural enemies of these birds are, first of all, forest predators. These include badgers, martens, sables, and stoats. In addition, many rodents, which are especially aggressive towards chicks, pose a danger to birds.
Bird's relationship with people
Despite constant hunting, the number of snipe remains quite large. Only a few species out of 17 are listed in the Red Book and are especially protected by various international organizations. Particular attention is paid to the Japanese snipe, which is currently the least common among all the others.
It is also worth saying that people really love snipe. Many people like to watch the beautiful flight and songs of birds during the breeding season. No less people admire the graceful plumage of small birds.
Asian snipe
The neat behavior of snipes almost always puts people in their direction. As already mentioned, people affectionately call these birds “forest lambs,” which once again confirms the kind attitude of people towards representatives of this family.
Snipes in literature and cinema
The birds discussed in this article are often mentioned in literary works or feature films. Thus, snipe plays an important role in Vitaly Bianchi’s work “Who Sings What?” In addition, these birds are found in both Leo Tolstoy (“Anna Karenina”) and Ivan Turgenev (“Notes of a Hunter”).
As for cinema, snipes appear in a variety of films, but do not play the main role in them. First of all, such films include Soviet adaptations of literary works of Russian classics.
It is worth noting that in 2010 a short Swedish film called “Bekas” was released. However, this word is translated into Russian as “Orphans” and has nothing to do with the birds discussed in the article. It should also be said that “Bekas” is also the name of a gun produced for fifteen years by the Russian plant “Molot”.
So, in this article we talked about such beautiful birds as snipes. We learned what the characteristics of the representatives of this family are, and also got acquainted with their way of life. These birds are an interesting object not only for observation, but also for study.
Snipes remind us of the beauty and elegance of the world around us. It is important for people not to forget about their planet and the animals that live around them. Indeed, in any situation, no matter what, you must remain human and enjoy the beauty of nature.
Classification
View: Common snipe
Family: Snipe
Squad: Charadriiformes
Class: Birds
Type: Chordata
Subtype: Vertebrates
Dimensions: Body length – 25 cm, wingspan – 40 cm, Weight – from 80 to 170 g
Lifespan: 10 years
Snipe is a recognizable bird with a long thin beak and mottled brown color. Is a close relative. This sandpiper is agile in flight and is able to move quickly on land and in water.
People call him the lamb for the characteristic bleating that he makes during the current.
Habitat
In terms of choosing a habitat, the snipe is a rather unpretentious bird. The main condition is high soil moisture in which the sandpiper seeks food.
Birds can be found in moss-covered swamps and on the marshy shores of lakes and rivers. They also live in open clearings with moist soil, in sparse forests and in the vicinity of cities.
The bird's habitat extends across European territory, covering Eastern Siberia and Northern Asia. The North American subspecies of snipe is found in Canada and the United States.
Snipe settles in damp places
Snipe is a migratory bird. Their journey to wintering areas begins in late summer or early autumn. Birds go to winter in Central or South Asia, Transcaucasia, Western Europe, Iran, and India. There were also individuals that migrated to North Africa.
Characteristic
The main activity of snipe is observed at dusk or at night. Individuals often form flocks, although single flights also occur. When feeding, they form large aggregations. The animal stays mainly on the ground, hiding among swamp vegetation.
Snipe flies and dives masterfully. It soars sharply upward, emitting a characteristic quack. It flies at high speed, sometimes making zigzags in the air. Capable of rapidly diving down, choosing a target for itself.
Comparison of snipe with other species
There are three subspecies of snipe. There are slight differences in plumage: pattern and shades. Snipe subspecies also differ in size.
The snipe is slightly larger than the thrush
The snipe is slightly larger in size. The closest species are the Asian snipe and the wood snipe. From a distance they are almost impossible to distinguish. It is distinguished from the Asian snipe and snipe by its longer beak and narrow head.
There are differences in plumage. A white stripe runs along the rear edge of the wing. The inner surface of the wings is covered with stripes. If you look closely at the pattern of feathers on the head, the white stripe, resembling an eyebrow, near the beak is thinner than the black one.
The snipe can be distinguished from another representative of the snipe family, the snipe, by its size (it is larger) and by the length of its beak (more than 5.5 cm), and the pattern of the feathers on its head (a light stripe runs down the center).
Important! The most noticeable characteristic of the snipe is its flight style. The first few meters he flies in a straight line, then switches to zigzags.
There is no pronounced sexual dimorphism. The difference between males and females is the length of the outer tail feathers. For males this value is 4.7 cm, while for females it is 4.3 and shorter.
Appearance
The plumage of the snipe, as seen in the photo, is predominantly reddish-brown, with light and black splashes. There are white stripes at the tips of the feathers. The bird's belly is light, without dark spots.
The snipe's coloring serves as excellent camouflage. If other birds have to fly into the air at the sight of danger, he can simply hide among the marsh grasses.
If you're interested in seeing the incredible camouflage of other animals in the wild, we recommend checking out this article
Long beak of a snipe
The long straight beak of the snipe immediately stands out in the photo. Its length is about a third of the length of the body - 7.5 cm. Towards the end the beak becomes pointed. This is an excellent adaptation for searching for food in mud, sand or soft soil.
Having found a worm or larva, the snipe grabs it with the tip of its beak and pulls it out of the soil.
Snipe in search of food
The structure of the bird’s beak is no less interesting. The beak and upper jaw can bend upward if necessary. Although this phenomenon occurs in other birds, it is more pronounced in snipes.
This can be explained by the peculiarities of searching for food. Unlike other birds, snipes have a well-developed sense of smell. They distinguish odors using sensitive receptors at the tip of their beaks.
The body of individuals is relatively small, about 25 cm in length or a little more. Legs are short. The bird's large eyes are set high and noticeably shifted towards the back of the head, giving a wide view.
Key Features
Among other forest birds, snipes are distinguished by the following features.
- This sandpiper is unpretentious and lives in swamps, coastlines with moist soil and sparse forests.
- The snipe received its nickname “forest lamb” because of its characteristic sound, which resembles bleating. Moreover, he produces it not with his vocal cords, but with his tail feathers. When, during mating games, the male, having gained height, dives down, the feathers begin to vibrate. As a result, the same “bleating” sound is formed.
- Large, high-set eyes not only give birds a wide view, but also allow them to see at dusk.
- The tip of the snipe's beak can open even if it is closed along its entire length. Thanks to this, the bird extracts prey from the thickness of sand or silt.
- Snipe is a true master of flight, he is agile in the air and describes real zigzags. It is worth noting that it is agile even after the current is completed. The bird moves rapidly in the air, changing altitude from time to time.
- These birds are monogamous. Although only the female does the incubation, both parents participate in caring for the offspring.
- During the mating dance, the snipe can dive down from a height of about 70 meters.
The snipe's eyes are set high
Nutrition
The main part of the snipe diet consists of insects and their larvae, earthworms, and to a lesser extent – small crustaceans and mollusks. Along with animal food, they also consume plant food, in particular seeds and shoots of plants.
Important! To improve the grinding of greens in the stomach, birds swallow small grains of sand and pebbles.
When a snipe comes out to feed, it moves actively and catches small insects. To find food, it explores the soil, plunging its beak into it almost to the base. Having found large prey, such as a worm, it uses its beak to divide it into small pieces.
The snipe needs a beak when searching for food.
In search of food in shallow water, the snipe plunges its long, sharp beak into the soft mud and, slowly moving forward, tests the soil.
At the tip there are a large number of nerve endings that will allow you to detect the movement of earthly inhabitants. Having sensed prey, the snipe captures it with its beak. It can swallow food without removing its beak from the mud.
Behavior, reproduction
Snipes return early from wintering. This happens as soon as the snow begins to melt and the first thawed patches form. Males display mating during migration.
When they reach the nesting site, the current immediately begins. Individuals occupy territory for their family, often overlapping the boundaries of their neighbors’ property. Subsequently, the males fly over their territory, indicating to everyone that it is occupied.
Snipe is a predominantly silent bird. Its chirping can be heard only during the mating period.
Snipe hiding in the grass
After wintering, snipes return to their nesting sites. The males arrive first and occupy the site for the future nest. Then the current starts.
Mock period for snipe
Snipes are monogamous and form stable pairs throughout the nesting period. During the current period, the male performs a spectacular mating dance in the air. It rises high, describes several circles, then descends almost vertically.
At this moment, he slightly presses his wings and opens his tail. At the same time, its feathers begin to vibrate loudly, making a sound reminiscent of bleating. The current continues on the ground. The male sits on a hill and chirps loudly.
Important! Snipe is especially active in the morning and evening when there is high humidity, cloudy weather and light rain.
After mating, the female joins the male. Snipes nest in different areas: swamps, sparse forests with clearings and bushes, and banks overgrown with sedge.
The pair remains together throughout the nesting period. The female takes full care of the nest, and she also incubates the eggs. The male continues to display, indicating that this is their territory.
Nest construction and care of offspring
The female makes a nest on a hummock not far from a pond, usually in thick grass. It is a small hole dug in the ground and covered with straw.
In some areas, the litter may consist of literally a few blades of grass, but with high humidity its thickness reaches two centimeters. A hole is dug with a diameter of 10-13 cm, the height of the nest is about 5 cm.
There are 4 motley eggs in the nest
The female covers the nest from above with closely spaced blades of grass, resulting in a small hut. The camouflage color of the bird and the location of the nest make them almost invisible.
If danger approaches, the female takes off sharply, then dives into the grass and hides in it. Despite the great difference between the species, the behavior of the snipe and the nesting principle itself in this regard is very similar to.
What do snipe eggs look like?
The bird lays 4 olive or yellow eggs with dark spots. In rare cases, clutches containing 3 or 5 eggs have been observed. It is assumed that the found clutches with 6 eggs belong to several females.
Snipe eggs are pear-shaped. The shell can be matte or slightly shiny. The weight of the eggs reaches 17 g. Hatching lasts 17-20 days, only the female does it.
Hatching and chick development
The small chicks are covered in down, but they are quite well developed. They crawl out of the nest as soon as they dry out. The male and female divide the brood in half, and each takes care of his own pair of chicks.
Babies need to be fed and warmed. In the event of the death of one of the parents, the second takes full care of the offspring.
Already at the age of one month, the chicks begin to learn to fly. The young fledge relatively quickly and leave the nest. At the same time, in case of danger, the parents themselves transport the chicks to a safe place. They grab them between their paws and fly low above the ground.
Juveniles differ little in appearance from adults. If mature birds have light rounded inclusions on the upper wing coverts, then young birds have reddish stripes. In general, the plumage of young snipe is slightly darker.
The plumage of birds changes little with age
Even before they fly off to their wintering grounds, the chicks begin to lead a nomadic lifestyle. They have a certain schedule. In the evening, the birds go out to feed, which continues throughout the night. At dawn they hide in the thickets of grass.
Interesting! Seeing danger (for example, the approach of an enemy), the chicks tilt their heads towards the grass. At this time, the parents either drive him away or take him away from the nest.
Preparing for the flight to wintering areas
In mid-summer, adult individuals undergo a molt, during which their plumage is completely replaced. At such times they are especially careful and hide in hard-to-reach places.
Snipe - master of disguise
The flight to wintering areas occurs at the end of summer-autumn, although for some individuals it can continue until the first frost.
Snipes live alone or in small flocks of about 6 birds. They fly mainly at night. Periodically they stop to rest; dozens of individuals gather at the stopping places.
Relationships with people
Snipe is a popular object of sport hunting. However, their numbers remain quite high, so these birds are not included in the Red Book. In general, the snipe is a cautious and timid bird.
Snipe is an interesting representative of the snipe family. This bird stands out for its long beak and unique singing during the courtship dance.
This is a real flying virtuoso. Having begun to move in the air in a straight line, it proceeds to rapid zigzags. It is no coincidence that the nickname “forest lamb” was assigned to him. The sonorous vibration that its feathers produce when diving down distinguishes it from all other birds.
Vida
Appearance and behavior. A medium-sized sandpiper (about the size of a thrush), with a long beak and short legs. The color of the plumage is protective, consisting of red, brown, black and light streaks; males and females do not differ in color. There are no seasonal differences in plumage color. After takeoff, the snipe flies in a straight line for the first meters, after which it switches to a fast zigzag flight. Body length 25–27 cm, wingspan 37–43 cm, weight 80–170 g.
Description. The upperparts are blackish-brown with ocher, red and black streaks. The crown is black with a longitudinal light ocher stripe. A pale buffy stripe stretches from the base of the beak above the eye to the back of the head. A narrow dark brown stripe runs from the beak to the eye through the frenulum. The chin and throat are white or white with a pale fawn coating. The neck in front, the craw area and the front part of the chest are pale buffy with blackish-brown longitudinal streaks. There are black transverse stripes on the sides of the body. The lower chest and belly are white, without streaks. The wings are relatively wide. There is a white stripe along the rear edge of the wing, and the underside of the wing is striped, consisting of gray and white transverse stripes. The tail is slightly rounded, all tail feathers are relatively wide and soft, the width of the outer tail feathers is at least 6 mm, the number of tail feathers varies from 12 to 18, most often there are 14. When taking off, the tail as a whole looks red.
The iris is dark brown. The beak is dark brown, darkening at the apical part and lighter at the base. Legs brownish-olive. Young birds differ from adults by the presence of buffy edges on the upper wing coverts; juveniles are darker above than adults; the dark streaks of juveniles are wider below. The downy chick is generally dark, brownish-brown with reddish tint. The upperparts are brownish-reddish with white tips of the feathers on the neck, front of the back and wings. There is a black round spot on the forehead, followed by a transverse dirty white stripe, and two black spots on the front of the crown. On the back of the crown there is a black longitudinal stripe, divided into two parts by a narrow white stripe. On the back of the head there is a black spot with white feather tips. The bridle is black. From the frenulum there is a black stripe under the eye, and on the front of the neck there are two blackish stripes. The underparts are uniformly brownish-brown; on the sides and legs the down has white tips.
It is almost indistinguishable from and in appearance; in a sitting bird, the tail is longer and protrudes beyond the ends of the wings, and the light eyebrow near the beak is narrower than the dark frenulum. In the hands, the common snipe is easily distinguished by its wider outer tail feathers (at least 6 mm). The snipe differs from the great snipe by the white underside of the chest and belly, the buffy tips of the large wing coverts, and its nimble, fast flight after flushing.
Voice. A frightened snipe usually makes a sonorous sound when taking off: chewing gum" or " clink”, but sometimes flies away silently. During lekking flight, the male flies in an uneven circle, periodically emitting a dull rattling sound similar to the bleating of a lamb. The male produces a specific sound (“bleating”) with the help of the outer tail feathers, vibrating during a dive from a height. Birds on the ground often emit vocal signals during the mating season " teka-teka-teka..." or " tsagi-tsagi-tsagi..." When removed from the nest or brood, it can emit loud calls, reminiscent of a mixture of squeaking and squeaking, which cannot be conveyed verbally.
Distribution, status. The breeding range is extensive, covering the temperate and northern latitudes of Eurasia from Iceland, the British Isles and France to the Pacific coast and from the steppe zone to the southern border of the Arctic tundra. Previously, the range included most of North America, inhabited by a special form of this species ( G.g. delicata), which has now been identified as an independent species ( G. delicata) - American snipe. In the European part of Russia it breeds from the Arctic coast, including some islands of the Arctic Ocean, to the north of the steppe zone in the Don region, the Lower Volga region and the Urals. Winters in the countries of Western and Southern Europe, in Africa, in the Near and Middle East, in the countries of Central, South and Southeast Asia, in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.
Lifestyle. It arrives at nesting sites early, with the beginning of snow melting and the formation of thawed patches in open areas. In the south of the nesting range it appears already in mid-March, in the Far North - at the end of May. Showing during migration is very typical, while males are not tied to a specific territory. After arriving at the breeding grounds, males begin mating almost immediately. They occupy quite significant individual territories, over which they perform current flights. The borders of neighboring territories overlap. The lekking flight of the male consists of alternating ascents and sharp descents, accompanied by characteristic species-specific sounds. When diving, the male folds his wings slightly and trembles them, while the tail is wide open, and the outer tail feathers vibrate, cutting the air. During the mating period, true pairs are formed, although the males continue to mating for quite a long time even after the formation of pairs and the construction of the nest, however, the intensity of mating at this time is low.
Breeds in a wide variety of conditions: in floodplain meadows and swamps, sedge banks of various lakes and rivers, in sparse small-leaved forests with clearings and grassy ground cover that are beginning to overgrow wet clearings, in small forests with shrubs and meadows, in raised bogs, in damp shrubby and moss-sedge tundras. The nest is made on a hummock or tubercle, at the base of a low bush, usually covering it on top and sides with tufts of grass or twigs of shrubs. It is a shallow hole with an abundant lining of dry leaves of sedge, willow or dwarf birch. Usually there are 3 and sometimes 5 eggs in a clutch. The basic background color of the shell is very variable - from pale fawn to brownish-olive, pale ocher, greenish with brown and brown spots of different shapes, sizes and intensity.
Incubation begins with the third or fourth egg, only the female incubates the clutch, the duration of incubation is 20–21 days. If there is danger at the beginning of incubation, the female usually leaves the nest, allowing the person to come at some distance, and simply flies away; towards the end of incubation, the female sits more tightly on the nest and flies away at a close distance from the person, sometimes from under the feet, and often performs a distracting demonstration, depicting a wounded bird or animal. Both parents lead the chicks, separating the brood, and periodically feed them. Young birds fly at the age of three weeks.