Appearance:

By far the most common snipe in most areas. Bill longer than congeners. Belly white, in contrast to barred flanks. Upperparts of wings with white trailing edge, underparts with white wingbars. Diagnostic escape flight when flushed, with zig-zag change of direction, characteristic call and long period of circling the area before landing (or leaving altogether).

Sound:

Quite vocal, especially at breeding ground. Almost always give diagnostic hoarse and nasal "kaaat" call when flushed. Song an unmistakable bleating, drumming sound produced by vibrating tail feathers in sky-dives. Another territorial call is a rhythmic, mechanical and sharp "tika-tika-tka", or "ika-ka-ka".

Display, flush:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Summer: Red throat (seemingly black at a distance!). Lacks white vertical framing of throat patch and white spotted back of Black-throated Diver. Winter: Quite pale. White face and eye-ring. Just a narrow stripe of dark grey along the back of the neck. In all plumages best identified by posture and silhouette, especially when seen at a distance. Slender neck, head and bill. Flat chest. Usually shows no white flank patch. Bill usually held uptilted.

Sound:

In flight; nasal, dry, gooselike series of rhythmic cackling "ko-ko-ko". Most vocal when courting and breeding. A meowing drawn-out sound starting with a register break, then falling in pitch. Display call a far reaching rolling cyclic cooing, given in long sequences.

Song/display:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Lauri Hallikainen, Licence,Link.