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Recordings
Scientific Name
Gallinago media
Arabic Name
الشنقب الكبير
Kuwaiti name
إرهيز
Family
Width
49.0 cm
Length
28.0 cm
Similar species
Information
Rare passage migrant infrequently seen in irrigated farms during spring migration. A declining species. Specific plumage and behavior distinctions make this species quite different from the Common Snipe; its flight is usually more like that of a large sandpiper than of a snipe.
Where in Kuwait
All Kuwait records of this beautifully camouflaged wading bird are of solitary birds in cultivated areas in Jahra as well as desert areas with suitable habitat and water.
In the world
A Near Threatened because it is thought to be experiencing a moderately rapid population decline, owing primarily to habitat loss and degradation, as well as hunting pressure. It is generally solitary on migration, but researchers have found that this ordinary-looking creature could well be the fastest bird on Earth – over long distances at least. Swedish scientists found that the birds fly non-stop over a distance of around 4200 miles (6760km) at a phenomenal 60mph (97kmh). The word 'sniper' originated in the 1770s among soldiers in British India: if a hunter was skilled enough to kill an elusive snipe, he was called a sniper.
Local threats
Indiscriminate shooting and loss of suitable habitat.