Publication of a state-of-knowledge report on the Common Snipe in France 

The MNHN team has published a report (in French) summarising the knowledge accumulated since the start of the HABITRACK project on the Common Snipe in France and Europe. 

They present results and sourced data on the species’ decline in France and Europe, along with new insights into summer dispersal, autumn migration, and demographic parameters. 

Do young snipes recruit where they were born? Are adult snipes faithful to their breeding and wintering sites? 

The work presented, pending the final data from the spring/summer 2026 capture season, is being finalised for publication in international journals. 

This report highlights the non-secure conservation status of breeding populations across many western European countries, including France, where breeding numbers have fallen from 1,000 pairs in 1970 to fewer than 50 recently. 

The aim of making this knowledge available is to inform political decisions and public policies, in order to improve the conservation status of the French population and all populations at risk of extinction in nearby countries (United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland). 

Link to the report:   

Jiguet F., Monnet A.-C., Bartholus L. (2026) État des connaissances sur les populations de Bécassine des marais en France. https://mnhn.hal.science/mnhn-05675155/