Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) is in the Sandpipers and Allies family (Scolopacidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 18,601 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in January.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: winter visitor. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Wilson's Snipe: observations by month (U.S.)
About Wilson's Snipe
Wilson's snipe (Gallinago delicata) is a small, stocky shorebird. The genus name gallinago is New Latin for a woodcock or snipe from Latin gallina, "hen" and the suffix -ago, "resembling". The specific delicata is Latin for "dainty".From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Wilson's Snipe by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3,413 | November | Oct–Mar |
| Texas | 3,073 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Florida | 1,629 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Oregon | 787 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Washington | 778 | October | Aug–Jun |
| Arizona | 660 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Virginia | 534 | March | Nov–Apr |
| Illinois | 504 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Ohio | 444 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Colorado | 422 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Maryland | 367 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Alaska | 350 | May | May–Sep |
| Minnesota | 315 | April | Apr–May |
| Pennsylvania | 295 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Louisiana | 285 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Tennessee | 279 | March | Mar–Apr |
| North Carolina | 274 | January | Nov–Apr |
| Wisconsin | 270 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Montana | 265 | July | May–Oct |
| Michigan | 227 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Idaho | 223 | May | Apr–Aug |
| Georgia | 210 | December | Oct–Mar |
| New York | 209 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Vermont | 206 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Missouri | 199 | March | Mar–Apr |
| New Mexico | 197 | December | Nov–Mar |
| Alabama | 193 | November | Oct–Mar |
| Massachusetts | 176 | April | Mar–Apr |
| South Carolina | 174 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Mississippi | 146 | November | Nov–Feb |
| Utah | 136 | June | Apr–Jun |
| Nevada | 125 | December | Nov–Jan |
| Kansas | 116 | October | Oct–Oct |
| New Jersey | 115 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Wyoming | 115 | June | Apr–Jul |
| Oklahoma | 110 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Arkansas | 106 | January | Oct–Apr |
| Delaware | 104 | March | Mar–Apr |
| North Dakota | 93 | April | Apr–Jul |
| Indiana | 91 | April | Mar–Apr |
| South Dakota | 76 | April | Apr–May |
| Kentucky | 67 | March | Nov–Apr |
| Nebraska | 61 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Iowa | 47 | April | Apr–Apr |
| West Virginia | 46 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Connecticut | 23 | February | Jan–Apr |
| Maine | 22 | April | Apr–May |
| New Hampshire | 19 | April | Apr–May |
| Hawaii | 11 | November | Nov–Jan |
| District of Columbia | 7 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Rhode Island | 7 | April | Mar–Apr |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Sandpipers and Allies)
Willet
Sanderling
Least Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Ruddy Turnstone
Marbled Godwit
Long-billed Curlew
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wilson's Snipe?
Nationally, January has the most observations, with the main season from September to April.
Where is Wilson's Snipe most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Florida.