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

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Jack Snipe

Lymnocryptes minimus

Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of England Birds of Bedfordshire Birds of Buckinghamshire Birds of South Yorkshire Birds of Berkshire Birds of Bristol Birds of Cambridgeshire Birds of Cheshire Birds of Cumbria

By family

Sandpipers & Allies of Newfoundland and Labrador Sandpipers & Allies of England

See what's near you right now

The Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 50.1 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 Lymnocryptes
Species minimus

Where it lives

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

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 50.1 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Scolopacidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Near Threatened

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Jack Snipe hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

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

Migration

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

The Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus) is a member of the Scolopacidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL subarctic to temperate taiga wetlands of n Palearctic: Scandinavia and ne Poland to e Sakha Republic (ec Siberia).

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 50.1 g, with a wing length of about 10.6 cm and a tail of around 4.9 cm.

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

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7.7 million km².

Songs & calls

Jack Snipe — Song

Recorded by Lars Edenius Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Jack Snipe?

The Jack Snipe is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 50.1 g.

Where does the Jack Snipe live?

The Jack Snipe is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL subarctic to temperate taiga wetlands of n Palearctic: Scandinavia and ne Poland to e Sakha Republic (ec Siberia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Jack Snipe belong to?

The Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Jack Snipe eat?

The Jack Snipe hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Jack Snipe migrate?

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

Is the Jack 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 Jack Snipe make?

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

How large is the Jack Snipe's range?

The Jack Snipe has a mapped global range of about 7.7 million km².