Photo: Alejandro Bayer Tamayo from Armenia, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Noble Snipe
Gallinago nobilis
Noble Snipe (Gallinago nobilis) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Noble Snipe (Gallinago nobilis) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 192 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
- Genus Gallinago
- Species nobilis
Where it lives
Montane wet grassland of northwestern South America: far western Venezuela to far northern Peru
Quick facts
- Weight
- 192 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Noble Snipe hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Noble Snipe is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Noble Snipe (Gallinago nobilis) belongs to the Scolopacidae family of the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA montane wet grassland of nw South America: far w Venezuela to far n Peru.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 192 g, with a wing length of about 13.8 cm and a tail of around 5.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 260,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Noble Snipe?
The Noble Snipe is a large bird that weighs around 192 g.
Where does the Noble Snipe live?
The Noble Snipe is found across South America with a range covering SA montane wet grassland of nw South America: far w Venezuela to far n Peru, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Noble Snipe belong to?
The Noble Snipe (Gallinago nobilis) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Noble Snipe eat?
The Noble Snipe hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Noble Snipe migrate?
The Noble Snipe is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Noble Snipe endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Noble Snipe make?
1 real field recording of the Noble Snipe — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Noble Snipe's range?
The Noble Snipe has a mapped global range of about 260,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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