Copyright: monacoeye • Guapi Assu, Sep 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Giant Snipe
Latin: Gallinago undulata
Other: Narcejão (Br) • Caica gigante, becasina gigante (Es)
Family: Scolopacidae • Waders, Snipes
Range: South America - Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil etc
Similar: South American Snipe

Birdwatching often transports you to extraordinary situations - my encounter with the Giant Snipe was one such event.

The Giant Snipe is a difficult bird to see during the day - it’s shy and hides in long grasses and channels. So three of us set off from Regua, in the northern part of Rio de Janeiro state, a little before dusk, with flashlights and ipod, to a certain field where the Giant Snipe was known to live…

The Giant Snipe is a large bird with a very long bill, and rich brown stripes on its back, distinguishing it from the South American Snipe. I understand there are separate populations, two of the nominate subspecies centred in northern South America, and another in the southeast of Brazil of Gallinago undulata gigantea seen here.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Iceland, May 2011 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Common Snipe
Latin: Gallinago gallinago
Other: Bécassine des marais (Fr) • Bekassine (De) • Agachadiza común (Es) • Beccaccino (It) • Watersnip (Nl) • Enkelbeckasin (Sv) • Narceja-comum (Pt)
Family: Scolopacidae • Waders, Snipes
Range: Widespread Eurasia - S Europe, Africa, Asia, Iceland
Similar: Wilson’s Snipe

The Common Snipe was photographed in Iceland, so presumably subspecies Gallinago gallinago faeroeensis.

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Mostardas, Brazil • November 2009

Bird name: South American Snipe
Latin: Gallinago paraguaiae
Other: Magellan Snipe • Narceja-sul-americana (Br) • Narceja
Family: Scolopacidae • Snipes

The South American Snipe can be distinguished from the Giant Snipe by its yellowish legs. In addition the Giant Snipe has a flatter forehead.

This individual was in grass near a lake. He was not easy to photograph, remaining upright and visible for a couple of seconds after moving, before ducking down and disappearing completely from view, despite being a medium-sized bird. Fortunately he did this twice giving me an opportunity to take a photo on the second occasion.

The South American Snipe is found in most of South America, away from the Pacific coast.More photos...

064 Family: Scolopacidae • Sandpipers, Snipes, Curlews - IOC 2.5 - 2010

Scolopax rusticola - Eurasian Woodcock - Widespread Eurasia - Asia, N Africa
Scolopax mira - Amami Woodcock - Ryukyu Islands
Scolopax saturata - Javan Woodcock - Sumatra, Java
Scolopax rosenbergii - New Guinea Woodcock - New Guinea
Scolopax bukidnonensis - Bukidnon Woodcock - Philippines
Scolopax celebensis - Sulawesi Woodcock - Sulawesi
Scolopax rochussenii - Moluccan Woodcock - Moluccas
Scolopax minor - American Woodcock - E, SE North America

Coenocorypha pusilla - Chatham Snipe - Chatham Islands
Coenocorypha iredalei - South Island Snipe - Small islands of Stewart Is., NZ Australasia - Split from C. aucklandica; recently extinct
Coenocorypha huegeli - Snares Snipe - Snares Is., NZ Australasia - Split from C. aucklandica
Coenocorypha aucklandica - Subantarctic Snipe - Antipodes Is., Auckland Is. NZ Australasia - New name

Lymnocryptes minimus - Jack Snipe - C, W Eurasia - Asia, Africa

Gallinago solitaria - Solitary Snipe - C, E Eurasia - N Asia
Gallinago hardwickii - Latham's Snipe - E Eurasia - E Australia
Gallinago nemoricola - Wood Snipe - S Himalayas to E India & N Vietnam
Gallinago stenura - Pin-tailed Snipe - NE Eurasia - Asia
Gallinago megala - Swinhoe's Snipe - C Eurasia - Asia, Australasia
Gallinago nigripennis - African Snipe - E, SC, S Africa
Gallinago macrodactyla - Madagascar Snipe - Madagascar
Gallinago media - Great Snipe - NW Eurasia - Africa
Gallinago gallinago - Common Snipe - Widespread Eurasia - S Europe, Africa, Asia
Gallinago delicata - Wilson's Snipe - Widespread North America, Latin America to NW South America
Gallinago paraguaiae - South American Snipe - Widespread South America
Gallinago andina - Puna Snipe - Peru to NW Argentina
Gallinago nobilis - Noble Snipe - Venezuela, Colombia
Gallinago undulata - Giant Snipe - N, SE South America
Gallinago stricklandii - Fuegian Snipe - extreme S South America
Gallinago jamesoni - Andean Snipe - Venezuela to Bolivia
Gallinago imperialis - Imperial Snipe - Colombia, Peru

Limnodromus griseus - Short-billed Dowitcher - N North America - S South America, Latin America
Limnodromus scolopaceus - Long-billed Dowitcher - NE, Eurasia, also Alaska - S South America, Central America
Limnodromus semipalmatus - Asian Dowitcher - C Eurasia - Asia, Australasia

Limosa limosa - Black-tailed Godwit - Widespread Eurasia - Africa, Asia, Australasia
Limosa haemastica - Hudsonian Godwit - N North America - Southern Cone
Limosa lapponica - Bar-tailed Godwit - N, Eurasia, also Alaska - Africa, Asia, Australasia
Limosa fedoa - Marbled Godwit - C North America - S South America, Central America

Numenius minutus - Little Curlew - NE Eurasia - Australasia
Numenius borealis - Eskimo Curlew - NC North America - SE South America
Numenius phaeopus - Whimbrel - N North America, Eurasia - widespread
Numenius tahitiensis - Bristle-thighed Curlew - Alaska - C, S Pacific Islands
Numenius tenuirostris - Slender-billed Curlew - C Eurasia - N Africa
Numenius arquata - Eurasian Curlew - C, W Eurasia - Africa, Asia
Numenius madagascariensis - Eastern Curlew - NE Eurasia - Australasia
Numenius americanus - Long-billed Curlew - W, WC North America - S South America through Central America

Bartramia longicauda - Upland Sandpiper - EC, C, NW North America - SE South America

Tringa erythropus - Spotted Redshank - N Eurasia - SW EU, Africa, Asia
Tringa totanus - Common Redshank - W, C Eurasia - SW EU, Africa, Asia
Tringa stagnatilis - Marsh Sandpiper - C Eurasia - Africa, Asia, Australasia
Tringa nebularia - Common Greenshank - Widespread Eurasia - SW EU, Africa, Asia, Australasia
Tringa guttifer - Nordmann's Greenshank - E Eurasia - Asia
Tringa melanoleuca - Greater Yellowlegs - N North America - S South America, Latin America
Tringa flavipes - Lesser Yellowlegs - N North America - S South America, Latin America
Tringa ochropus - Green Sandpiper - Widespread Eurasia - SW EU, Africa, Asia
Tringa solitaria - Solitary Sandpiper - N North America - Latin America, also Caribbean
Tringa glareola - Wood Sandpiper - Widespread Eurasia - Africa, Asia, Australasia
Tringa brevipes - Grey-tailed Tattler - NE, NC Eurasia - Malay Peninsula through Australasia - Was Heteroscelus
Tringa incana - Wandering Tattler - NW North America - W South America, S Pacific islands
Tringa semipalmata - Willet - E, C, SE North America - SW North America, Latin America - Was Catoptrophorus

Xenus cinereus - Terek Sandpiper - Widespread Eurasia - Africa, Asia, Australasia, also Middle East

Actitis hypoleucos - Common Sandpiper - Widespread Eurasia - Africa, Asia, Australasia, also Middle East
Actitis macularius - Spotted Sandpiper - Widespread North America - S South America through Latin America

Aechmorhynchus parvirostris - Tuamotu Sandpiper - Tuamotu Archipelago

Prosobonia leucoptera - Tahiti Sandpiper - Society Islands

Arenaria interpres - Ruddy Turnstone - N North America, Eurasia - Worldwide
Arenaria melanocephala - Black Turnstone - NW North America - W North America coast

Aphriza virgata - Surfbird - NW North America - W North America , Latin America coasts

Calidris tenuirostris - Great Knot - NE Eurasia - Asia, Australasia
Calidris canutus - Red Knot - N North America, Eurasia - South America, Europe, Africa, Australasia
Calidris alba - Sanderling - N North America, Eurasia - Worldwide
Calidris pusilla - Semipalmated Sandpiper - N North America - Latin America, Caribbean
Calidris mauri - Western Sandpiper - N North America - North America, Central America, N South America
Calidris ruficollis - Red-necked Stint - NE Eurasia - Asia, Australasia
Calidris minuta - Little Stint - N Eurasia - E EU, Africa, India
Calidris temminckii - Temminck's Stint - N Eurasia - Africa, Asia, Middle East
Calidris subminuta - Long-toed Stint - C, NE Eurasia - Asia, Australasia
Calidris minutilla - Least Sandpiper - N North America - S South America, Latin America
Calidris fuscicollis - White-rumped Sandpiper - N North America - Southern Cone
Calidris bairdii - Baird's Sandpiper - N North America - W, S South America
Calidris melanotos - Pectoral Sandpiper - N North America, Eurasia - Australasia, Southern Cone
Calidris acuminata - Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - NE Eurasia - Australasia
Calidris ferruginea - Curlew Sandpiper - N Eurasia - Africa, Asia, Australasia, also Middle East
Calidris maritima - Purple Sandpiper - N North America, Eurasia - E North America, W Europe
Calidris ptilocnemis - Rock Sandpiper - Eurasia, North America - W North America coast
Calidris alpina - Dunlin - N North America, Eurasia - S North America, Africa, S EU
Calidris himantopus - Stilt Sandpiper - N North America - SC South America

Eurynorhynchus pygmeus - Spoon-billed Sandpiper - NE Eurasia - Asia

Limicola falcinellus - Broad-billed Sandpiper - N Eurasia - Africa, Asia, Australasia, also Middle East

Tryngites subruficollis - Buff-breasted Sandpiper - N, North America, also NE Europe - SE South America

Philomachus pugnax - Ruff - N Eurasia - Africa, SW EU, India

Phalaropus tricolor - Wilson's Phalarope - C North America - S South America
Phalaropus lobatus - Red-necked Phalarope - N North America, Eurasia - W, E Pacific, N Indian Ocean
Phalaropus fulicarius - Red Phalarope - N North America, Eurasia - SE Pacific, SE Atlantic