Wilson's Snipe Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Song
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Alaska, May 21, 2013Recorded by Lucas DeCicco / Macaulay Library
Song
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Nevada, June 12, 2019Recorded by Ed Pandolfino / Macaulay Library
Song
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Alaska, May 27, 2015Recorded by Lucas DeCicco / Macaulay Library
Winnow
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New York, May 23, 1998Recorded by Wil Hershberger / Macaulay Library
Calls
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Florida, November 11, 2016Recorded by Paul Marvin / Macaulay Library
Calls
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New York, April 06, 2020Recorded by Jay McGowan / Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Calls

Both male and female Wilson’s Snipes give an array of calls on the breeding grounds. They also make a scaipe call when they flush or at night during migration. Breeding birds give a repeated hard, sharp jick call when excited, a chip-per call between males and females, and a harsher chip that the male makes when landing to court a female, or the female makes as a male winnows overhead.

Other Sounds

Air rushing over the Wilson’s Snipe’s outspread tail feathers creates the haunting hu-hu-hu winnowing sound, described as similar to the call of an Eastern Screech-Owl. The sound is usually produced as the birds dive, but can also be generated when the bird levels out following a dive. Males perform the winnowing flight to defend territory and attract mates. Females also winnow prior to breeding, but stop as soon as they begin to nest.