Order: Charadriiformes.
Family: Scolopacidae.
Similar in structure to the Eurasian Woodcock, much larger in size and with transverse stripes on the crown. The Jack Snipe, smaller in size and with a dark central stripe on the crown.
It is not possible to sex this species by the plumaje.
It is possible to recognize 2 different ages:
First to second-year specimen: with contrast in the wing coverts if they maintain the juvenile plumage. These feathers are much more worn than the new ones and without the black spot at the tip. tertials with wide dark bars separated by narrow ante lines and a narrow light edge at the tip. Primary coverts with rounded tips. Primaries with quite sharp tips. Outer feather of the tail without an obvious notch.
Adult specimen: All wing coverts of the same generation. Median coverts with the black rachis clearly reaching the tip. Tertials with dark bars as wide as the clear ones and a wide white tip. Primary coverts with a square tip. Primaries with rounded tips. Outer feather of the tail with an obvious notch.
The Common Snipe performs a complete post-nuptial molt, usually completed in November-December. Partial post-juvenile molt including body feathers, the central pair of rectrices (sometimes, depending on the specimen, all of them) and small and medium coverts. It is usually completed in October. Both age types have a pre-nuptial molt that covers body feathers, tail, tertiaries, and wing coverts.
Primaries: 10 per wing.
Secundaries: 13-14 per wing.
Rectrices: 14.
