Wood snipe

Description

The wood snipe (Gallinago nemoricola) is a species of snipe which breeds in the Himalayas of northern India,Nepal,Bhutan and southern China.In winter,it occurs at lower altitudes in the Himalayas,as a regular visitor in small numbers to north Vietnam.it also occurs as a vagrant in central and southern India,Sri Lanka,Bangladesh,Myanmar,north Thailand and Laos.This is a dark snipe,28–32 centimetres (11–13 in) in length,with a short,broad-based bill.It breeds in alpine meadows above 3,000 metres (9,800 ft),moving to lower altitudes in the winter.This species is classified as vulnerable,with a population of less than 10,000 birds.Major threats to its existence include habitat loss and hunting.It has been recorded in some protected areas,including Langtang and Sagarmatha National Parks in Nepal.