Swinhoe's Snipe

1. Larger and darker overall than Latham’s Snipe, with more distinct upperwing covert spots.

2. In flight, toes project only slightly beyond the tail tip (less than Pin-tailed Snipe).

3. Broad buff supercilium, and a long, straight bill with a horn colour and black tip.

Swinhoe’s Snipe feeds primarily on small invertebrates, including earthworms, mollusks, and insects, foraging by probing its long bill into mud or soft ground. It does not breed in Australia; breeding occurs in forest glades and meadows of Siberia and Mongolia from May to July. Males perform display flights, ascending in steps to 3–4 meters, circling, then descending steeply with a mix of glides and wingbeats, producing both vocal and mechanical “drumming” sounds with the tail feathers. Females lay 2–5 eggs (usually 4), incubate alone for 18–2 days, and chicks fledge about 18–2 days after hatching, likely with both parents feeding them. Outside the breeding season, Swinhoe’s Snipe frequents shallow wetlands with mud or shallow water and nearby vegetation for cover. They are usually seen in Australia from mid-October-March.

In Australia, Swinhoe’s Snipe is found mainly in northern regions, from the Kimberley in Western Australia through the Northern Territory to northern Queensland. It prefers the edges of shallow freshwater wetlands, marshes, wet meadows, flooded fields, and sewage farms, often in slightly drier and more enclosed sites than Common Snipe. Look for them at dawn and dusk when they are most active. They are best detected by carefully scanning wetland margins for sudden flushes, as they are extremely well camouflaged and typically silent when flushed.