Chunky shorebird with short, broad, rounded wings and thick, medium-long bill. Dark, striped nape and crown; face looks whitish due to pale cheeks and pale supercilium broadening in front of eyes. Large, dark eye. Blackish-brown back with pale streaks. Feathers on upperparts black with rufous-brown edges and broad white fringes. White underparts with horizontal black barring on breast and sides. Plumage almost identical to Wilson's and Wilson's Snipe. Distinguished by shorter, more rounded wings, shorter tail and slightly shorter, thicker bill. Tends to have paler-looking face and more scalloped upperparts than Common and Wilson's.

Length: 27 (cm) Wingspan: 48 (cm)

Habitat:

Prefers marshes, bogs, or drier grasslands for breeding. Otherwise found near muddy shorelines and tidal or freshwater marshes.

Behavior:

Typically well camouflaged and hidden. Feeds by picking food from meadows, shallow water, or mud. Found singly or in small flocks. Bursts out of grasses with a heavy, zigzag flight when flushed. Performs winnowing flight-display like other snipes.

Feeding:

Almost exclusively feeds on invertebrates including insects and insect larvae, earthworms, mollusks, and crustaceans. Occasionally eats seeds.