also known as the Japanese Snipe, is a medium-sized (27-30cm) migratory wader, that nests mostly on Japan’s north island of Hokkaido during the warmer months of the Northern Hemisphere. When the chicks are grown and gain enough body fat for the journey they begin their migration to Australia. They fly approximately 7,000 kilometres in an amazing direct flight over the Pacific Ocean and Mountainous Papua New Guinea to the Eastern and Southeastern parts of Australia. Incredibly, there are tracking records of some individuals flying the whole way non-stop in just 3 days. Usually, they will stop at a few staging areas along the way including, PNG and North Queensland. While they’re here, they can be found in shallow freshwater wetlands and marshes. They are omnivorous and feed mostly at dusk and dawn, Using their long bill to penetrate the soft mud for worms, beetles, spiders, other invertebrates and plant materials. During the day they take refuge among reedbeds, sedges and grasses. Their dull brown colouring with dark streaks is great camouflage, also known as ‘cryptic colouring’, allowing for minimal detection from predators. As the weather starts to cool, heading towards Winter, the Snipe will return to Japan for the breeding season.
If you want to see a Snipe yourself, I suggest trying early in the morning around the edge of a lake, marsh or wetland where there is some soft mud and somewhere they can hide. They can be very hard to see and if you get too close, they will leap out of hiding and quickly fly away in a zig-zag motion while letting out an abrupt kekk-kekk call as they go. The trick is to see them first, move slowly and admire from a distance.
Published: 10/01/2025
Colac Birder 