Stealing a marsh on the flightiest of foes

Small, fast and skittish, the common snipe is a challenging adversary that demands an instinctive and controlled approach, says Tom Payne

- Tom Payne

Shooting snipe is a pretty specialist form of game shooting. Not many people have the desire, passion or opportunity to take on this brilliant adversary. A common snipe’s flying ability right from flushing certainly matches that of its bigger cousin, the woodcock. The snipe is often a feature of the uplands but its habitat is varied and they can be seen across the country from boggy marshes, to reeds to wetland to flooded grazing fields and ditches.

We have three snipe species in this country. The first, the common snipe, is the only one that makes superb eating. The second is the jack snipe, which is protected, as is the third species, the very rare great snipe. Once more commonly seen on these shores, sightings of great snipe are now few and far between. There were 56 spotted in 2019. The adults are slightly larger than a common snipe and much bulkier. Their wings are broad and can be identified by a pale wing bar in flight.

Behaviour

The jack snipe is surprisingly easy to identify on the wing. Though it is only slightly smaller than the common snipe, its behaviour gives it away. It is a small, stocky bird with a shorter beak and it sits incredibly tight until flushed. It will generally flush under your feet if there is no dog around. It also flushes in silence and will keep low for quite some distance before pulling up then heading back to the ground.

Common snipe, on the other hand, will flush at distance or at the first sign of disturbance. Normally, they will speak on the wing and, as they flush, you will hear screeching while they jink skywards before straightening up. You won’t then see the same bird that day.