SNIPE

Snipe are medium sized wading birds, a bit smaller than a Lapwing (Peewit). They have a very long bill, about a quarter of their total length, and feed in soft mud.  Seen close to, they are richly patterned in black, brown and rufous, with cream stripes on the head and back.  From a distance, they look dark golden brown.

Many come to Shropshire for the winter, and others pass through in April on their way to breeding grounds further north.    These passage and wintering birds remain here until late April, and may share sites with the birds that stay to breed.  There are many more wintering and passage birds, so even though only a small proportion of them remain at the end of April, they still outnumber breeding birds at this time.  However, they are unlikely to remain at any one site for any great length of time, and, if they are flushed, they are likely to fly off a long distance, whereas a breeding bird will typically fly less than 200m before dropping down.

Snipe are secretive, and crepuscular, and are much more likely to be heard than seen. They have a characteristic “drumming” display flight, usually at dusk but occasionally during the day, and a “chipping” call, emitted from deep cover in the marsh. Drumming occurs mainly in the very short twilight period around dawn and dusk, and might be heard at any time between March and the last week in July. Wintering and passage birds usually do not drum or chip, although passage birds are known to drum occasionally in April.

Males arrive on the breeding territory about ten days before the females.  Initially their “drumming” display flight occurs over quite a wide area, although there is no deep encroachment into areas covered by other males. As incubation becomes more advanced, the area of the display flight is much more restricted, and is closer to the nest.

First eggs are usually laid at the end of April or beginning of May, usually in a tussock of grass or rush. Incubation takes around 20 days. Chicks leave the nest shortly after they hatch, and feed themselves.  The parents divide the brood between them, and separate.  The male ceases territorial defence, including drumming flights, as soon as this parental responsibility starts.

If the first clutch is lost, the male will continue to defend the territory, and a new clutch will be laid.  Several repeat clutches may be laid, until either one hatches successfully, or the breeding area becomes too dry for the birds to feed. Young birds are potentially independent of their parents as soon as they fledge, about 20 days after hatching. 

Feeding areas need to be close to the nest – long foraging flights to food increase the risk of the adult being predated, and the location of the nest being observed on the bird’s return.  Their long bill is used to probe mud or soft soil for prey – mainly earthworms, but also insects and snails.  The margin between wet and dry areas is their most important feeding area – worms cannot survive in ground that is permanently flooded.

Snipe suffer a very high rate of nest loss, mainly through predation and trampling by livestock. They will lay repeat clutches until nesting females cannot access food close to the nest. Once the ground dries out, and becomes hard, Snipe are unable to feed there, even if there are still substantial amounts of prey below the surface.

Snipe have disappeared as a breeding bird in much of lowland Britain .  Nationally, Snipe is on the Amber List of Birds Of Conservation Concern, because of a significant population decline in the last 25 years. Locally, An Atlas Of The Breeding Birds Of Shropshire (1992) found Snipe occurring "in two distinct breeding habitats, the wet hollows of the uplands and the damp meadows of the lowlands". It showed a considerable decline in the latter since the 1950s, largely as a result of agricultural intensification (drainage, and converting meadows to arable).

A national survey carried out by the British Trust for Ornithology in 2002 found a 94% decline in the West Midlands over the previous 20 years.  Twelve potential lowland sites in Shropshire were included, and Snipe were not found at any of them.  There is now only one breeding site in the Shropshire lowlands known to conservation organisations, and much of that site is in Staffordshire.

A Survey was carried out in 2004 to establish the population, distribution and breeding requirements of Snipe in the south-west Shropshire Hills. For the Executive Summary from the Report click here.

On the Long Mynd, an estimated 7 – 8 pairs were found.  This is only around one-third of the population found in 1994-98. The range has also contracted considerably – Snipe were only found on and around Wild Moor, but they were found all across the moorland plateau 10 years ago.

On The Stiperstones NNR, none were found, although Snipe are known to have bred there in 1995-96, when the population was estimated at six pairs.

On Rhos Fiddle, a Shropshire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve in the Clun Uplands, an estimated 3 - 4 pairs were found (including a possible pair at an adjacent site on Bicton Hill).

In addition, a large number of other apparently suitable sites throughout the south-west Shropshire Hills (total area approximately 580 square kilometres) were assessed. The 25 sites judged to have the greatest potential to hold breeding Snipe were then surveyed. Only three of these sites were found to hold breeding Snipe:

Each of these three sites apparently only held one pair, so the total estimated population of all 25 sites is only three breeding pairs.

The total population of the Survey Area is therefore estimated at 13 – 15 breeding pairs.

Unless there are substantial populations in areas currently not known to conservation bodies and birdwatchers, the County population is now estimated at only 20-25 pairs.

In common with other ground-nesting wading birds (Lapwing and Curlew), numbers have declined considerably in recent years as a result of land drainage, and concentration of the reduced population in smaller areas which make them more vulnerable to the increasing number of predators. This increase is attributed to the large amount of carrion available as supplementary food for these predators, a by-product of intensive sheep farming and pheasant rearing in the last 10-15 years.

Because of the high rate of nest loss, Snipe need an extended breeding season. This maximises the number of repeat clutches that can be laid, thereby increasing the chance of a successful nest.  Extending the date on which a female can commence a new clutch from 10 June to 10 July has been estimated to double the number of chicks per female. As first-year birds breed later than mature birds, increasing the available habitat later in the season also gives them a chance to breed.

Thus maintenance of high water tables throughout the breeding season, but avoiding extensive surface flooding, is likely to produce the best conditions.  A network of ditches and varied surface topography, providing abundant damp, penetrable areas even when the water table is low, will also enhance the habitat for Snipe.

Therefore, any site which holds breeding Snipe, or which has the potential to attract them, should be managed to achieve extensive areas of short vegetation that are wet (not damp), from the beginning of April until the end of July. The four regular territories on the one kilometre length of the stream that flows into Wildmoor Pool suggests a distance between the centre of each territory in optimum habitat of 250m. The average territory includes around two hectares of acid / wet flush.

In addition, management proposals should also aim to:-

As farmers are now being encouraged to manage their land to increase the Snipe population through Defra’s new Environmental Stewardship Scheme, hopefully more of this habitat will be safeguarded and created.

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