Snipe (Common Snipe)
Gallinago gallinago
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Distribution Britain 1,806 (-19.1%) Ireland 641 (-28.4%)
Numbers breeding: Britain 55,000 Ireland 10,000 + European status: 920,000 (8% in Britain and Ireland =5) British population trend: contracting and declining (-90% CBC){-74%} How likely are you to record it? 245 squares (5.5%) Ranked 84 [46] |
Snipe breed in upland areas and on lowland marsh lands. Here the population was reduced by drainage 100 years ago but they were able to recover some ground as agricultural land went out of production during the slump. About 50 years ago lowland population again began a downward plunge, still in progress, with birds missing from large areas of lowland England and Wales by the time of the first Atlas — much worse for the second with losses also in Ireland (probably stable in the Shannon Callows) and lowland Scotland. In some areas upland populations seem also to be affected. The modern high stocking rates on grazing land are not helpful as there will be an increased risk of nests being trampled — nest records seem to show this is happening. Withdrawal from the shooting list might seem a good idea but most of those shot here are wintering birds from overseas. if the resources the birds need for breeding are restricting the population, this is unlikely to make much of a real difference. Lowland outlook very poor with the restoration of wet areas to low intensity grazing the only hope.
The following Bird On! sketch is available:
Snipe
From
The
State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead