Jack Snipe

Lymnocryptes minimus (Brünnich, 1764)

18–25 cmLength40 cmWingspan50 gWeight

This small, stocky wader constantly bounces its body up and down as if on a spring.

Busiest months: October · Most records: United Kingdom, Spain, United Arab Emirates

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

Upperparts mottled rufous; underparts paler
One dark eyestripe through the eye
No central crown stripe; two pale lateral crown stripes
Wingtips narrow; yellow back markings visible in flight.

Voice

During aerial courtship displays it makes a sound like a galloping horse; silent in winter.

Where and when it's recorded

Jack Snipe has been recorded at 756 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 74 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Private estate near Green MubazzarahUnited Arab Emirates1,240 records
St Mary'sUnited Kingdom474 records
Beddington FarmlandsUnited Kingdom454 records

More places

Fair IsleUnited Kingdom436 records
WWT London Wetland CentreUnited Kingdom374 records
HelgolandGermany348 records
Poleg MarshIsrael296 records
Titchwell Marsh RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom249 records
Spurn Bird Observatory Recording AreaUnited Kingdom246 records
St. Paul IslandUnited States200 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United Kingdom Spain United Arab Emirates Israel Germany India Poland Czechia

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 jack snipe or jacksnipe (Lymnocryptes minimus) is a small stocky wader. It is the smallest snipe, and the only member of the genus Lymnocryptes. Features such as its sternum and its continuous 'bobbing up and down' make it quite distinct from other snipes or woodcocks.

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

Questions

How big is the Jack Snipe?

The Jack Snipe is about 18–25 cm long, with a wingspan of 40 cm and weighs around 50 g.

Where does the Jack Snipe live?

Its breeding range: Palearctic: subarctic to temperate taiga wetlands of northern Palearctic: Scandinavia and northeastern Poland to eastern Sakha Republic (east-central Siberia). It is most often recorded in United Kingdom, Spain and United Arab Emirates.

When is the best time to see the Jack Snipe?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Jack Snipe endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Jack Snipe as Least Concern.

What does the Jack Snipe eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Jack Snipe in?

It belongs to the family Sandpipers, Snipes (Scolopacidae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Length: 18–25 cm
Wingspan: 40 cm
Weight: 50 g
Habitat: Wetland
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Migratory
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 106 mm
Tail: 49 mm
Bill: 43 mm
Tarsus: 23 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Palearctic: subarctic to temperate taiga wetlands of northern Palearctic: Scandinavia and northeastern Poland to eastern Sakha Republic (east-central Siberia)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2