Description:

Small to medium-sized snipe, with rather long bill and white belly; plumage variable. Compared with Pintail, wings are more pointed and it has faster and more erratic flight; shows prominent white trailing edge to wing and white banding on underwing-coverts. Buff supercilium contrasts with white cheek-stripe.

Distribution:

Common passage migrant through Gilgit-Baltistan, mainly in the western districts, rare in Baltistan. Usually found near wetlands, damp meadows, lakes, river banks, boggy areas and grasslands. From lowlands up to 3000m during passage migration.

Behavior:

Feeds by vertical, rhythmic probing in substrate, often without removing bill from soil. Feeds typically in small groups, although may exhibit antagonistic behavior towards conspecifics; essentially crepuscular. Diet includes larval insects, adult insects, earthworms, small crustaceans, small gastropods and spiders; plant fibers and seeds consumed in smaller quantities.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Common Snipe in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Common Snipe

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.