Photo: DmitrySA / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Swinhoe’s Snipe

Gallinago megala

Swinhoe's Snipe (Gallinago megala) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of India Birds of Japan Birds of Malaysia Birds of the Philippines Birds of Thailand Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of Western Australia

By family

Sandpipers & Allies of Australia Sandpipers & Allies of Indonesia Sandpipers & Allies of India Sandpipers & Allies of Japan Sandpipers & Allies of Malaysia Sandpipers & Allies of the Philippines Sandpipers & Allies of Thailand Sandpipers & Allies of Northern Territory Sandpipers & Allies of Queensland Sandpipers & Allies of Western Australia

See what's near you right now

The Swinhoe’s Snipe (Gallinago megala) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 121 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
Genus Gallinago
Species megala

Where it lives

Temperate woodland-edge wetlands of central, eastern Palearctic: northeastern Kazakhstan, south-central Siberia, north-central Mongolia and Amurland (southeastern Russia)

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 121 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Swinhoe’s Snipe hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Swinhoe’s Snipe is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Swinhoe’s Snipe (Gallinago megala) is a species of bird in the Scolopacidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL temperate woodland-edge wetlands of c, e Palearctic: ne Kazakhstan, sc Siberia, nc Mongolia and Amurland (se Russia).

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 121 g, with a wing length of about 13.5 cm and a tail of around 5.6 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.4 million km².

Songs & calls

Swinhoe’s Snipe — Flight call

Recorded by Stanislas Wroza Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Swinhoe’s Snipe?

The Swinhoe’s Snipe is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 121 g.

Where does the Swinhoe’s Snipe live?

The Swinhoe’s Snipe is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL temperate woodland-edge wetlands of c, e Palearctic: ne Kazakhstan, sc Siberia, nc Mongolia and Amurland (se Russia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Swinhoe’s Snipe belong to?

The Swinhoe’s Snipe (Gallinago megala) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Swinhoe’s Snipe eat?

The Swinhoe’s Snipe hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Swinhoe’s Snipe migrate?

The Swinhoe’s Snipe is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Swinhoe’s Snipe endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Swinhoe’s Snipe make?

1 real field recording of the Swinhoe’s Snipe — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Swinhoe’s Snipe's range?

The Swinhoe’s Snipe has a mapped global range of about 3.4 million km².