Wildlife

Snipe Welfare on Wet Grassland and Bog

The snipe is a declining breeding wader of wet grassland and bog, requiring high water tables and soft soil invertebrate communities for probing.

Key Facts

Probing bill has flexible tip sensitive to invertebrate movement
UK breeding population around 75,000 pairs but declining
Distinctive drumming display produced by tail feathers
Winter influx from Iceland and Scandinavia boosts UK numbers
Listed as Amber conservation status in UK

Welfare Considerations

Drainage of wet grassland for agricultural improvement removes the soft wet soil that snipe need for foraging. High water tables required for breeding are rarely maintained in intensive farming landscapes. Peatland restoration projects are the most effective welfare intervention at scale.

What You Can Do

Support peatland and wet grassland restoration projects
Donate to Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust wetland conservation
Advocate for water level management on lowland wet grassland
Report snipe breeding attempts to local wildlife trusts