Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)

Wilson's Snipe [lateral view]. Photograph Credit: Stephen J. Stedman; near Linary, Cumberland County, Tennessee; 23 December 2013.

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Abundance: Uncommon during fall, winter, and spring; Occasional during summer; recorded in 25 Regional counties (Map of UCR Distribution); data from the Regional bird-monitoring efforts are too few to determine a trend in the populations migrating through or wintering in the Region (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Winter Resident; Visitor during summer; photograph [dorsal view of adult] (Judy C. Fuson; DeKalb County, Tennessee; 28 December 2004).

Regional High Count and CBC/CBB High Count: 40 (30 December 2008; Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky [Glasgow CBC]; m. ob.); SBC/SBB High Count: 8 (23–24 April 1966; Putnam County, Tennessee [SBC]; m. ob.; and 23 April 1977; Putnam County, Tennessee [SBC]; m. ob.); FBC/FBB High Count: 3 (3 October 2009; White County, Tennessee [FBC]; m. ob.).

Out-of-Season (Summer) Records: 

26 June 2005 (1) Cumberland Mountain Farm, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Charles R. Smith, Claudia K. Melin; http://www.cumberlandmountainfarm.com/species.html#birds).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Early Fall: x (

    Late Spring: x (

Note: Fall arrival generally widespread by 10 October; spring departure usually complete by 20 April; Regional dates of earliest reported fall arrival and latest reported spring departure during winters from 2002–2003 to 2011–2012 follow:

* See also Out-of-Season (Summer) Records (above).

Habitat: Brushy or weedy sites with muddy or moist soil.

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: Registered on 1 (of 125) monthly check-lists during 2003 and on 5 (of 206) check-lists during 2004, leading to a YardWatch frequency classification of Rare during each year; this YardWatch frequency classification is inconsistent with the overall Regional abundance classification.

Remarks: This species is a skulker, usually not being encountered except by those who tromp through a lot of the proper habitat; thus, its actual Regional abundance is probably greater than is represented by the available data.

Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.

Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.

Literature Cited