Wilson’s Snipe

We were surprised that this photo is half-decent. This Wilson’s Snipe fed along the far side of a large lake at the Billy Frank Jr Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge on 19 October 2020. Snipe feed in marshes and are usually elusive and camouflaged. Yet they are one of the most abundant and widespread shorebirds in North America (Mueller 2020). Snipe feed by probing their long bills under the mud. They enjoy a number of feeding adaptations. Their nostrils are at the base of their bills, allowing them to breath while their bills are deep in the mud. Their bills have sensory pits near their tips, allowing them to locate their invertebrate prey. Snipe eyes are far back on their head, allowing them to see behind and above them while their bills are under water—a handy ability in a predator-filled world.