Least Concern Birds

African Snipe

Gallinago nigripennis

Wading bird feeding on insects in African wetlands and marshes.

Scientific name	Gallinago nigripennis
Conservation status	Least Concern
Class	Aves
Order	Charadriiformes
Family	Scolopacidae
Size	Male: about 120-140 grams; Female: about 120-140 grams

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How to identify

Small body size, body length about 25-27 cm; plumage mainly brown with distinct spots and stripes; long and slender bill suitable for foraging in mud; broad wings with white wing patches during flight; short and rounded tail

Habitat

Wetlands, marshes, river valleys, moist areas near sparse woodland grasslands

Diet

Mainly insects, worms, and other invertebrates; carnivorous

When it is active

Active at dawn and dusk, partially diurnal

Where it lives

Distributed in central and eastern Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, with records in Maasai Mara National Reserve

How to spot it

Quietly observe at the edge of wetlands at dawn or dusk; use binoculars for better identification; pay attention to wing patch features during flight

Photography tips

Use a telephoto lens; choose low angles to capture feeding scenes in wetland environments; utilize soft light at dawn and dusk to highlight plumage details