The jack snipe is the smallest and most secretive of European snipes, wintering in Britain from Arctic breeding grounds and relying on soft, muddy habitats that are increasingly rare in the intensively managed landscape.
Jack snipe welfare during UK winters depends on unfrozen, soft muddy habitats with abundant invertebrates. Hard frosts eliminate access to food and force southward movement of entire wintering populations. The loss of wet, rush-dominated pasture and ditch margin habitat has reduced winter carrying capacity. The species is legally shot in the UK, and its extreme reluctance to fly makes it vulnerable to being flushed repeatedly by dogs working cover.