About this species
The Wood Snipe (Gallinago nemoricola) is a large, dark snipe with a relatively short bill for its genus. It is one of the most elusive and least-studied waders in Asia, inhabiting dense rhododendron and birch scrub, wet alpine meadows and forest clearings at elevations of 3,000–4,200 m during the breeding season.
The species breeds in the Himalayas from Afghanistan to south-central China and is an altitudinal migrant, descending to lower-elevation marshes and wet forests in winter. It is nocturnal and extremely difficult to detect, making population estimates highly uncertain.
The global population is tentatively estimated at 2,500–10,000 mature individuals. It is classified as Vulnerable by IUCN due to habitat degradation and the ongoing conversion of montane forests.
