Adults: Upperparts, brown heavily mottled with black feathers centers and brown or buff edges. Head boldly marked with buff central stripe from forhead to nape. Eyebrow, long buff. Brown line through eye. Pale buff cheek patch, streaked darker. Throat, neck, breast, buff and streaked brown. Underparts, brown, streaked throughout except for lower breast and belly. Bill, brown, dark brown at tipped, drooped. Legs, short, yellowish-brown (male) or greenish (female).
Female: As for male but larger.
Juveniles: As for adult but paler with less distinct markings. Legs, olive.
Voice
A loud 'chup chup', building to a series of dysyllabic calls, 'queeyoo queeyoo', uttered by adult males. Also uttered at night at the start of an aerial display. A strident 'chep' uttered in alarm.
Chatham Snipe (Coenocorypha pusilla) [XC821411]
by id from Rangatira (below the summit), Chatham Islands, New Zealand, New Zealand (call, song)
Chatham Snipe (Coenocorypha pusilla) [XC458058]
by David Boyle from Rangatira South East Island, Chatham Islands, New Zealand (song)
Nest
A scrape in the ground, often in leaf litter, or a loose cup of leaves.
Eggs (Guide)
Clutch Size: 2 - 4
Color: pale pinkish brown, with fine dark brown spots and grey blotches, especially at the larger end
Dimensions: 39 - 28 mm
Incubation: 18 - 20 days by both sexes
Young
Precocial.
Fledge: 38 - 47 days
Subspecies
Forms superspecies with Auckland Snipe (Coenocorypha aucklandica), of which sometimes considered a subspecies.
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Latham's Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii)
Larger. Bill is straight. Eye set high on head. Legs are grey.
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BirdLife International Species Factsheet