Snipe is a kind of shore bird with a long bill and stout body. Snipes have heavily marked feathers that help them blend into their surroundings. They use the flexible, sensitive tip of their bills to poke about for worms and grubs. To attract females during the mating season, male snipes often perform complicated acrobatics in the air.
The common snipe is one of the best-known species (kinds). It is about 10 inches (25 centimeters) long. It spends its summers in northern Eurasia. It winters in southern Eurasia and Africa. Wilson’s snipe is another well-known species. It looks much like the common snipe. Wilson’s snipe spends its summers from the northern United States to parts of Canada. It winters from the central United States down to parts of South America. During their mating displays, males of both species can make a strange “drumming” sound by flying to great heights and descending in quick swoops as air rushes through their feathers.
