Birds ‹‹ Go Back

This is a very common migrant to the country. Even though greater numbers can be observed in the wet and dry lowlands, it is a species that can be seen even in the highest hills.

This species breeds in the Arctic tundra and northern Russia and will migrate to southern Asia to spend the winter months from early September to mid May. During this period it can be seen from Pakistan to Indonesia. It is a rare migrant to northern Australia and Kenya.

The conservation status of the species under reference is regarded as Least Concerned (IUCN Red List).
This species is protected under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance as amended by Act No. 22 of 2009.

This is the most common species of snipe that migrate to the country. This species can be observed in grasslands, meadows, paddy fields, marshlands and shores of water bodies. They can often be seen probing the soft earth at such localities with their long beaks to find worms, molluscs etc. This species can be seen even just outside the city of Colombo in all the paddy fields, Talangama Wetlands, Kotte marshes and at Bellanwila-Attidiya. I have observed them to be more plentiful throughout the lowlands than in the hills.

In Wilpattu this species can be seen probing the soft earth around almost t every Villu and grassland during the winter months.