NT
Noble Snipe Gallinago nobilis



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
SACC. 2005 and updates. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2024 Near Threatened C2a(i)
2016 Near Threatened A2cd+3cd+4cd
2012 Near Threatened A2cd+3cd+4cd
2011 Near Threatened A2c,d; A3c,d; A4c,d
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 1,794,600 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 2500-15000 mature individuals poor suspected 2024
Population trend decreasing poor suspected -
Generation length 4.46 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 2-20 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 1-89% - - -

Population justification: Locally evidently fairly common (eBird 2024). Boyla and Estrada (2005) estimated a global population of 10,000-15,000 birds, while Cisneros-Heredia (2006) thought it likely the population numbered fewer than 10,000. Compiling 'highest count' records from 2008-2017 from a network of sites, Lesterhuis et al. (in prep.) estimated a much lower global population size of 4,850 individuals, but cautioned that this was based on 'limited data'. To account for all estimates made, the global population size is estimated here at 2,500-15,000 mature individuals. The population size of the largest subpopulation is effectively unknown, but if the the global population size suggested by Lesterhuis et al. (in prep.) is correct, it is plausible, if highly precautionary, that no subpopulation numbers more than 1,000 mature individuals.

Trend justification: The main threats identified for this species are overhunting and habitat loss (Ridgely and Greenfield 2001, Cisneros-Heredia 2006) although there are very little data on which to quantify the impact of these. In Ecuador, which comprises a significant part of the species' range, Freile et al. (2019) considered these threats to be acute enough to drive population declines.


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Colombia extant native yes
Ecuador extant native yes
Peru extant native yes
Venezuela extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Colombia Bosques del Oriente de Risaralda
Colombia Parque Nacional Natural Chingaza and surroundings
Colombia Puracé Natural National Park
Colombia Reserva Hidrográfica, Forestal y Parque Ecológico de Río Blanco
Colombia Reservas Comunitarias de Roncesvalles
Ecuador El Ángel - Cerro Golondrinas and surrounding areas
Ecuador Estación Biológica Guandera-Cerro Mongus
Ecuador Intag-Toisán
Ecuador Manteles - El Triunfo - Sucre
Ecuador Parque Nacional Cayambe-Coca
Ecuador Parque Nacional Llanganates
Ecuador Parque Nacional Podocarpus
Peru Cerro Chinguela
Venezuela Parque Nacional El Tamá

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Grassland Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude major resident
Wetlands (inland) Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands suitable resident
Altitude 2000 - 4000 m Occasional altitudinal limits (max) 4200 m

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Scale Unknown/Unrecorded Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Species mortality
Natural system modifications Fire & fire suppression - Increase in fire frequency/intensity Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Food - human subsistence, national

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Noble Snipe Gallinago nobilis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/noble-snipe-gallinago-nobilis on 23/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/12/2024.