Swinhoe's snipe

Swinhoe's snipe
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Charadriiformes
Suborder:	Scolopaci
Family:	Scolopacidae
Genus:	Gallinago
Species:	G. megala
Binomial name
Gallinago megala Swinhoe, 1861

Swinhoe's snipe, Gallinago megala, also known as forest snipe or Chinese snipe, is a medium-sized (length 27–29 cm, wingspan 38–44 cm, weight 120 gm), long-billed, migratory wader.

The common name commemorates the British naturalist Robert Swinhoe.^[2]

Identification

Identifiable as a Gallinago snipe by its cryptically patterned black, brown, buff and white plumage, but not easily distinguished from Latham's and pin-tailed snipe in the field. Commonly referred to as cho suekyung in South Korea.

Distribution

Breeds mainly in central and southern Siberia and Mongolia. Entire population migrates and spends non-breeding season principally in eastern and southern India, Sri Lanka, south-eastern China, South-East Asia and New Guinea. Recorded on migration in eastern China, and occasionally Japan. Records in Australia mainly from the Top End of the Northern Territory and from north-western Western Australia.

Habitat

Breeding habitat: forest glades and meadows. Non-breeding habitat: shallow freshwater wetlands of various kinds including paddy fields and sewage farms, with bare mud or shallow water for feeding, with nearby vegetation cover.

Food

Mainly small invertebrates including earthworms, mollusks and insects.

Breeding

Display flights and drumming by the males.

Conservation

Because of wide range and no evidence of significant population decline, the species is assessed as being of Least Concern.

References

1. BirdLife International (2012). "Gallinago megala". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
2. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael (2003). Whose Bird? Men and Women Commemorated in the Common Names of Birds. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 331–332.

• BirdLife International. (2006). Species factsheet: Gallinago megala. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9 February 2007
• Higgins, P.J.; & Davies, J.N. (eds). (1996). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 3: Snipe to Pigeons. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-553070-5
• Lane, Brett; & Davies, Jeff. (1987). Shorebirds in Australia. RAOU: Melbourne. ISBN 0-17-006824-2
• National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. (1987). The Shorebirds of Australia. Angus & Robertson: Sydney. ISBN 0-207-15348-5

Further reading

Identification

• Carey, Geoff and Urban Olsson (1995) Field Identification of Common, Wilson's, Pintail and Swinhoe's Snipes Birding World 8(5): 179-190