Wilson's Snipe is a plump shorebird of wet meadows and bogs, famous for the eerie, mechanical-sounding 'winnowing' of its courtship display — produced not by its voice but by air rushing through its outer tail feathers during steep aerial dives. It is perfectly camouflaged with its streaky brown pattern and is extremely difficult to spot in vegetation. When flushed it explodes in a zigzag flight with a harsh 'scaipe' call.
Best time to see a Wilson's Snipe
The best time to see a Wilson's Snipe is November–March, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 18,103 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Wilson's Snipe? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Wilson's Snipe sightings near you
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