snipes

Snipes are small to medium-sized wading birds in the family Scolopacidae, commonly referred to as snipes. The true snipes belong to the genus Gallinago, with species such as the common snipe (Gallinago gallinago) and Wilson's snipe (Gallinago delicata). They are found in wetlands, marshes, and damp grasslands across the Palearctic and Nearctic regions, with many species migratory between breeding and wintering grounds.

Physically, snipes have a long, straight bill, a short neck, and cryptically mottled brown plumage that provides camouflage in dense vegetation. They feed by probing mud or soft substrates for invertebrates, especially insects and earthworms. Their behavior is typically furtive; they feed at dawn and dusk and may flush suddenly from dense cover.

During the breeding season, male snipes perform a distinctive aerial display, generating a loud drumming sound with their tail feathers as they dive, a non-vocal courtship display known as drumming or tail-winnowing. The genus Gallinago is closely related to other shorebirds such as woodcocks within Scolopacidae.

Name origin: the word snipe is of uncertain origin, attested in Middle English.

Notable people with the surname Snipes include Wesley Snipes (born 1962), an American actor known for action films such as the Blade series.