Imperial Snipe

Gallinago imperialis Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1869

29–31 cmLength252 gWeight

The imperial snipe (Gallinago imperialis) is a small stocky wader which breeds in the Andes.

Busiest months: December · Most records: Ecuador, Peru

Near Threatened

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: December · Most records: Ecuador, Peru

Imperial Snipe has been recorded at 5 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Reserva YanacochaEcuador191 records
Bosque Unchog (Valqui D5.3)Peru4 records
ACP Abra Málaga Thastayoc Royal CinclodesPeru3 records

More places

Papallacta – hot springs and road to Cayambe-CocaEcuador3 records
Reserva Tapichalaca y Casa SimpsonEcuador1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

Ecuador Peru

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The imperial snipe (Gallinago imperialis) is a small stocky wader which breeds in the Andes. For a century it was known only from two specimens collected near Bogotá, Colombia, and was presumed extinct, but it was rediscovered in Peru in 1967 and Ecuador in 1988. It is not known if it is migratory.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Imperial Snipe?

The Imperial Snipe is about 29–31 cm long and weighs around 252 g.

Where does the Imperial Snipe live?

Its breeding range: South America: elfin forest montane bogs of northwestern South America: Ecuador to Peru (old records Colombia). It is most often recorded in Ecuador and Peru.